LAHORE: Around 1,100 graduate and undergraduate students from all five schools at LUMS were awarded degrees at the convocation.

Pro Chancellor Abdul Razak Dawood, Rector Shahid Hussain, Vice Chancellor Dr Arshad Ahmad, members of the Board of Trustees, deans, faculty and staff members celebrated the momentous occasion with the graduates and their families.

Registrar Zara Fateh Qizilbash delivered the welcome address, following which Pro Chancellor Abdul Razak Dawood formally inaugurated the 34th convocation.

Vice Chancellor Dr Ahmad called upon all graduating students to discover their individual roles and serve a greater purpose. He also emphasised strengthening a collective hope for a better and stronger Pakistan and advised all students to embrace their full potential and move forward, following in the footsteps of their predecessors while adhering to the timeless qualities of integrity, punctuality, respect, patience, and empathy.

Retired Justice Nasira Iqbal expressed hope that the graduating students would contribute to the development of the country and create shared value for the people around them. She also urged the graduates to pursue inclusiveness as a way of tackling intolerance in society.

“There should be no age barrier to acquiring higher education and students should pursue it as the only means of achieving progress and prosperity.”

Dr Haniya Azam won this year’s Vice Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence. Later, the graduates were awarded degrees and presented the National Management Foundation awards.

The late Aqsa Fatima, a LUMS student who passed away in April and was to graduate this year, was awarded a posthumous MBA degree to honour her memory. Rector Shahid Hussain presented the degree to the parents of the late Aqsa Fatima.

Published in Dawn, July 1st, 2022