Theses Defense and Commencement Spring 2024
After a morning filled with theses defense and presentations, the Department of English and Humanities at ULAB held the Spring 2024 Commencement ceremony for its graduating students of the BA and MA programs on May 4, 2024. The event was themed “Harmony in Change” and the Commencement Speaker was Ms. Sanjida Afrin, Senior Officer of Child Sponsorship and Resource Mobilization at ActionAid Bangladesh.
Inaugurating the event, DEH Head, Ms. Arifa Ghani Rahman, commended the graduating students on their accomplishments and elaborated on the significance of giving back with the skills and knowledge cultivated during their years at ULAB.
Afterwards, the cultural segment of the event, arranged by Batch 203, commenced with an enthralling poetry recitation and song performance by MA student Afifah Farzana (Batch 241).
Addressing the graduating batch, Professor Kaiser Haq, Dean, School of Arts and Humanities, then emphasized on the virtues of embracing civic responsibilities and wielding the critical thinking skills fostered within the university out in the real world. Emeritus Professor Syed Manzoorul Islam next joined the stage and pointed out the stark contrast between the spheres of academia and the professional world, which is more complex and demanding. Yet, he affirmed the boundless potential within the graduates to flourish in these circumstances.
In a moment of reflection, Professor Shamsad Mortuza, Special Advisor, ULAB Board of Trustees, contemplated the essence of the English department and its subtle yet profound influence that prepares students to face the world at large. Other faculty members, Ms. Nadia Rahman, Assistant Professor, Ms. Tanzia Siddiqua, Senior Lecturer, and Mr. Md. Muntasir Mamun, Assistant Professor, also imparted valuable advice to the graduates with their good wishes.
Ms. Sanjida Afrin, the Commencement Speaker, initiated her speech with a candid recollection of the uncertainties she had faced after graduating, not knowing what lay ahead. However, her first job at UN Women as a fellow in Gender-Responsive Budgeting, led her to her purpose in life, which included not only finding fulfillment in her own work, but having others benefit from it as well. Delving into the versatility of the English program, she reflected upon the way it prepared her to carry out writing-related tasks in her own career. Presenting this as an example, she emphasized on the conscious and subconscious lessons one accumulates over the years in university. She ended her speech with good wishes to the graduating students. A token of appreciation was presented to her by Prof. Kaiser Haq.
The next part of the program consisted of an interactive session where the graduates shared their experiences and memorable takeaways from their university lives.
A certificate-giving session for the Scholars Program graduates followed. This term, one Scholars Program student graduated and was presented with her certificate by the Scholars Program Committee, the Dean, the Head of Department, and the Special Advisor to the BoT.
The program ended with a song performance by Jannatul Tasnia (Batch 232) and Alen Henry Costa (Batch 211), and a vote of thanks by Dr. Md. Mahadhi Hasan who was the Batch Manager of the organizing batch.
The program was co-hosted by Tasfiyah Saba (MA Batch 241) and Fatema Aftab Miah (Batch 211).
Report by Marifa Khan (211013012)
