Ehigimetor Igbaugba
Eighteen students graduated with First Class Honour at the maiden convocation of the Arthur Jarvis University, the first private university in Cross River.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 251 graduated with various degrees and certificates during the convocation that took place at the campus ground at Akpabuyo, near Calabar.
The Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Ani Nkang, said the graduands were combined sets of the 2019/2020, 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 academic sessions.
He said that aside the 18 with first class, 115 secured second class upper division while 91 graduands came out with second class lower division.
Nkang charged the graduating students to continue to entrench the culture of discipline, hardwork, integrity and excellence wherever they found themselves.
“We hope that you will maintain strong links with the university and assist it in building up an enduring reputation.
“I take this opportunity to welcome you into the Arthur Jarvis University Alumni Association; on registration you will be on the alumni portal to receive regular updates on the university,” he stated.
The Vice Chancellor disclosed that the institution had initiated the process of starting a School of Postgraduate Studies with the National Universities Commission (NUC).
He said to ensure early realisation of the plan, the university management has approved the creation of the graduate assistantship cadre for first class graduates of Arthur Jarvis University.
Nkang admonished the graduands to apply and avail themselves of the opportunities offered by the graduate assistantship scheme.
He also revealed that the institution’s Nursing students would be joining their counterparts across the country for the professional examination for general and post-basic nurses scheduled for April.
The Chancellor of the University, Arthur Archibong, reaffirmed that the institution wa not a rehabilitation centre for drug users, unruly students and cultists as anyone apprehended would be sanctioned.
Archibong also encouraged parents and guardians to be more proactive in their roles as first custodians of their wards.
According to him, “As an investor in education, a school administrator, father and friend to our students, I have come to a rather distasteful conclusion that not all parents deserve to be so called.
“When you renege on your responsibilities and allow for the society to mould your children into what they become, you don’t only fail as a parent, you also fail the society.”
The chancellor said that no fewer than 100 students from host communities of Akpabuyo and Bakassi Local Government Areas of the state enjoyed full scholarship from his desk.
He revealed plans to train more than 400 students for global competitiveness within the next five years.
Obong of Calabar, Edidem Ekpo Okon, enjoined the people of the state to avail themselves of the opportunity created by the establishment of the institution, to send their wards to the university.
The high point of the ceremony was the presentation of awards to the three best graduating students: Yeneochia Agbor of Biological sciences 2020/2021 who graduated with 4.92 CGPA.
Others are Edidiong Edet of Political Science Department 2019/2020 with 4.73CGPA and Diligence Benson of Physics Department, 2021/2022 with 4.70 CGPA.
Earlier at the convocation lecture, a Professor of Business Management, Joe Duke, implored the University’s Management to integrate entrepreneurship education into its curricular.
He said this would help to develop and deepen entrepreneurial skills of the students, irrespective of their major areas of study and to better prepare them for sound business ideas after graduation.
To the graduating students, Duke said:
“Live your own dream and act out your own script.
“Do something you believe will make a difference, not just to yourself but the people and environment around you.
“Pay less attention to how much pecuniary gain it is going to bring to you, but if you do it well, you will have difficulty counting the profit.”
(NAN)
