Post by earl on Jul 4, 2008 15:25:25 GMT
THE second stage of the 'Class of 2008' graduations at the University of Ulster end today with the final two ceremonies at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast.
Students from the Faculty of Arts, the Faculty of Social Sciences, the Faculty of Art, Design and the Built Environment, and the Ulster Business School were presented with their awards.
The morning ceremony saw an honorary degree conferred on outgoing Northern Ireland Civil Service chief Sir Nigel Hamilton, who received the degree of Doctor of the University (DUniv) in recognition of his contribution to public administration in Northern Ireland.
At the afternoon ceremony, the honorary degree of Doctor of the University (DUniv) will be conferred on Redemptorist priest Fr Alex Reid in recognition of his contribution to the peace process in Northern Ireland.
A long time confidant of Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams, Fr Reid helped to broker the ground-breaking talks between Mr Adams and SDLP leader John Hume.
The talks led to the 1993 Downing Street Declaration which paved the way for dialogue between the British and Irish governments and the republican and loyalist paramilitary groupings and, ultimately, to the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.
Fr Reid was involved in one of the most graphic and enduring images of the Troubles when he was photographed praying over the body of one of the two corporals, David Howes and Derek Wood, who were killed by republicans on March 19, 1988, when they strayed into the funeral cortege in Andersonstown of one of the victims of a bomb and bullet attack by loyalist Michael Stone in Milltown Cemetery.
It was to Fr Reid that the IRA turned when the group came under pressure to reveal where it had buried the bodies of the 'Disappeared' — people murdered and secretly buried over a number of years. The IRA gave him details of some of the burial spots which he then passed onto the authorities.
In 2006 Fr Reid also worked with Basque separatist group, Eta, in a bid to get it to call a permanent end to its blood campaign of terrorism. It was blamed for killing more than 800 people in its campaign for independence for the Basque region of northern Spain and south-west France.
Meanwhile, graduation day will be an emotional experience for Tracy Atkinson and her family from Ballygomartin in west Belfast as a day they never thought they would see.
Tracy, who turns 30 this year, graduates today with an honours degree in Fine and Applied Arts. Her journey to graduation was a long. and at times very difficult one, but Tracey says it was well worth it.
Tracy is married to Darren and they have three daughters — India, Asha, and Pianna. She went to university as a mature student to be a positive role model for her children.
When she was just nine years old, Tracy had a brain haemorrhage which doctors feared would create loss of memory. She says this made her all the more determined to succeed and prove to herself and her parents that she could do well at school.
"I just did not have the confidence to go to university when I was 18, but as time went by I always regretted that I hadn't gone to university," she said.
"I became even more determined to do well when I had a beautiful baby girl born with no fingers on one hand, followed by an ectopic pregnancy which created a rollercoaster of emotions.
"As a result, my children have been my life and as a mum it made me determined to try to be a positive role model for them and their future, by taking control of my future."
Tracy said she managed to stay focused and committed, thanks to the support of her husband Darren and the rest of her family.
"I was seven months pregnant with my youngest daughter when I had my interview to get on the course. It was a struggle at times but studying for a degree was a personal goal of mine for so long, I was determined to do well and it is now such an amazing feeling to have finally graduated."
Tracy, who took a five year career break from the Civil Service, is due to return to work in December next year, but before then is looking forward to enjoying quality family time.