Class of 2021 CHAIR’S ADDRESS
Liz Lay MSc FCIPPdip FHEA ACIPD Chair, CIPP
Good afternoon, ladies, gentleman, honoured guests and, of course, our graduands. I am delighted to be
through the Foundation Degree, and I know just how much you deserve to receive this recognition. You should feel proud of your achievements; you’re here, and you did make it! Today is a day of celebration. We are going to hear several guest addresses, which will resonate with you and your family and friends in recognising what you have achieved and you have every right to smile and feel fantastic. You are all fantastic. Next week, when you return to the office, don’t forget that your certificate should take pride of place. Be proud and show it to your boss and colleagues, pin it on the notice board, or display it, framed, on your desk – you deserve the recognition and congratulations. And don’t forget, if you maintain your membership and continue to learn through CPD, you can use the formal designatory letters after your name! You may be considering further study, aiming for a promotion or moving to a different role. You might even consider becoming a tutor yourself and sharing your experience and knowledge with future students. Whichever path you take, I hope you will consider working towards Chartered membership of the CIPP. With whatever part of your learning journey you are on, there are some challenges for the future for all of us: ● to stay at the top of our profession ● to use what you have learnt as a stepping stone for the future – to better both yourself and your profession ● to encourage others to follow in your footsteps. For the hours, days and months to come, cherish this moment – we, in the CIPP, honor and applaud your effort, and take pride in any small contribution we have given to you in achieving all of this. As a result of all your efforts that we celebrate here today, we can welcome you to a family of truly committed and professional individuals. Congratulations, well done, and whatever direction you choose to steer yourself in, we wish you good luck, and thank you so much for letting us join you for such a wonderful day.
able to join you all to celebrate your achievement today and to extend a very warm welcome to all our guests both on stage, in the audience and at home. We’ve all learned a lot about connecting virtually over the last eighteen months and it’s fantastic to be able to livestream this ceremony so even more friends and family can cheer on our graduands. I hope you will all be clapping, cheering, whistling and whooping wherever you are. I believe you all received a brochure when you arrived today. On the first page of that brochure, you will see a quote from Nelson Mandela:
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
You might not be changing the world here today, but you have certainly taken steps to change the part of the world you inhabit. You have started to change ‘your’ world. Each of you will be role models for your family, the pride they have in you is evident here today – with their support and encouragement through those long hours of study, sitting at the desk (or kitchen table), let’s not forget their unconditional love to you and the support they have given. Let’s have a big round of applause for family and friends. I know from studying myself how extremely hard you have all worked to achieve the academic success we are celebrating here today; and I know some of you will have thought at times that you might not make it. And not only that, but you did it during a pandemic, facing challenges nobody could have imagined. Lockdowns, moving to virtual learning for your reviews and tutorials, perhaps having to get to grips with the coronavirus job retention scheme or staff changes in your day job and I’m sure, for some of you, home schooling. I was delighted to have reached an exciting milestone myself earlier this year – twenty years as a CIPP tutor. Over those years, I have supported lots of students just like you
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The CIPP’s Graduation Ceremony
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