People

2008 Convocation student speakers

May 29, 2008

Simon Fraser University will confer degrees on about 2,760 undergraduate and 380 graduate students this spring during seven ceremonies at SFU’s Burnaby campus, June 3–6. And representing their peers at each ceremony will be a graduating student speaker. Each of them came here for a different reason. But they now share the common experience of an SFU education, which they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.

	Tuesday, June 3, afternoon Mila Lukic, B.Sc., Business & Science Mila Lukic, who immigrated to Canada from war-torn Serbia with her family at age 16, is convocating with a B.Sc. in molecular biology and business administration and First Class honours. She completed four co-op terms, including an international placement in Scotland and represented SFU at several prestigious business case competitions. Lukic was involved with the SFU Business Competition Association and the Student Biotechnology Network and is a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society.
	Wednesday, June 4, morning Rob Drapala, B.Sc (honours), Business & Science Rob Drapala is this year’s top athlete-scholar (see related story). He graduates with an honours B.Sc. with a joint major in molecular biology and biochemistry and business administration and a 4.01 cumulative GPA. An Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship recipient, he has been accepted into Oxford University to study cancer immunology. Drapala completed two co-op work terms at SFU, volunteered with SFU International and completed an academic exchange in Istanbul, Turkey.
	Wednesday, June 4, afternoon Ania Kolodziej, BA, Political Science Ania Kolodziej is the first graduand of SFU’s new French Cohort Program (see related story). She graduates with a BA with a major in political science and an extended minor in French. In her third year, through a formal exchange program, Kolodziej studied at the elite Fondation Nationale des Sciences Politiques in Paris.
	Thursday, June 5, morning Karen Tse, BA, Criminology & English Karen Tse is this year’s Gordon Shrum Gold Medal winner for outstanding academic and extra-curricular achievement. She is graduating with a double major in English and criminology with First Class honours. Tse immigrated to Canada from Hong Kong with her family at age 11. At SFU, she was a student senator, a proud member of CUPE local 5396, and was active in organizing and serving with clubs and student unions. Tse begins law school next fall at the University of Victoria.
	Thursday, June 5, afternoon Cameron Clark, Ba (honours), Psychology Cameron Clark has held many leadership positions at SFU both within the residence community and most recently as an undergraduate teaching assistant within the psychology department. He has also won numerous academic awards. For the past year, he has been conducting research in the psychology department. Clark is convocating with an honours BA with First Class honours.
	Friday, June 6, morning Simon Kwok, B.Sc., Interactive Arts and Technology Simon Kwok is convocating with a B.Sc. in interactive design from the Surrey campus’ School of Interactive Arts and Technology. In his third year, Kwok was one of 13 students chosen to participate in the Italia Design Field School. For seven weeks, he interviewed top designers in Italian cities including Rome, Florence and Milan. He also did a one-year co-op at BlackBerry™ maker Research in Motion before returning for his last semester.
	Friday, June 6, afternoon Hilary Nelson, B.Sc., Kinesiology In addition to a strong academic performance in SFU’s School of Kinesiology, Hilary Nelson competed both nationally and internationally with SFU’s rowing team for four years. She is a dean’s honour roll student, a Golden Key Honours Society member and was an NSERC undergraduate research scholar. She was also an advisor in residence, a counsellor to incoming entrance scholarship recipients and a volunteer at the George Pearson Care Centre. Nelson will be convocating with a B.Sc. in kinesiology under the health and physiology concentration.