Meghan MacEachern is this year’s Tom McCann Memorial trophy recipient, an award given to the student that best exemplifies St. Thomas University.
MacEachern, captain of the Thomas women’s rugby team, volunteered and maintained a spot on the deans list while at STU.
“To me, the Tom McCann award is testament to the community and family atmosphere that we have to offer at St. Thomas. This is such a humbling experience to have been named in the same category as amazing STU leaders who were named Tom McCann award winners in years past,” said MacEachern. “To have the support of fellow students, administrators, professors, athletics staff, STU alumni, and coaches is overwhelming. These are the people who I admire so greatly.”
The announcement was made by university president Dawn Russell at the grad dinner Friday.
Earlier Friday, the turning of the “T” took place in Kinsella auditorium with about 100 students, family and university staff. The annual event is a symbol of a student’s completion of studies here.
“The ‘T’-pin ceremony was a commencement ceremony. It marked the beginning of your time at St. Thomas University and it was an opportunity, not only for us to welcome you to St. Thomas but also to provide you with a unique symbol; of your membership to our community,” said Russell.
President Dawn Russell said the St. Thomas University “T” ring dates back to the 1940s. She said the wedding ring of the mother of Tom Mann, the current deputy minister of post-secondary education, training and labour, was a T-Ring dating back to the 1940s.
“The green ‘T’ is a symbol of St. Thomas whether its on a pin, a ring, or on a tie or any other object,” said Russell.
Future graduates were adorned in black robes and filed into the auditorium in a procession, led by grad class president Alli Muise. The event took less than hour with graduates treated to a slideshow of their time at St. Thomas.
“We’ve put our hearts and souls into our degrees, and our ‘T’ rings are a way of showing the world how proud we are to have done it at St. Thomas,” said Muise.
Scott Duguay, associate vice-president of enrolment, and Russell welcomed the graduates to the alumni community, a community of 14,000. Those in attendance were also treated to a song “This Song Is About St. Thomas,” performed by the STU singers.
Duguay told the audience that technology and science will constantly change, but the humanities will always be needed.
“None of the greatest challenges we face in the world today will be solved without first understanding people,” said Duguay.
Spring convocation is May 10 at the Grant Harvey Centre.
“You are family now. If you become an employer hire a STU student,” said Duguay.
