More than 900 Wintec graduands ready to cap off their studies

Waikato Institute of Technology’s (Wintec) annual graduation week will see close to 1000 students take to the stage to receive their qualification in front of friends and family.

The event will include seven ceremonies held across four days, kicking off on Friday 18 March at Wintec’s city campus marae, Te Kōpū Mānia o Kirikiriroa, where around 110 students are set to graduate. The 1000 students attending the ceremonies are out of 1600 eligible to graduate.

The further six ceremonies will be held at Claudelands Event Centre the following week: Monday 21, Tuesday 22 and Wednesday 23 March. This follows a change in venue from Founders Theatre after the Hamilton City Council announced the closure of the theatre due to health and safety concerns.

All ceremonies that were to be held at the theatre will go ahead at the original scheduled time and date, with the location the only change. 

Wintec’s Chief Executive Mark Flowers said the venue change would not take away from the celebrations.

“This is our biggest and most prestigious event of the year and reflects the importance our students and their supporters place on achieving a tertiary education qualification.

“All of our graduands should be very proud of themselves and enjoy this special occasion – we are really looking forward to celebrating their achievements.”

Guest speakers will attend each ceremony offering inspiration to an audience of students, their families and friends as well as Wintec staff and special guests. These include: Eugene Davis, Te Ahurei a Rangatahi Trust Manager; Joe Locke, All Blacks Media Manager; Lesley Thornley, Allied Health Professional Leader; Robyn Berghan, New Zealand Medical Assistance team member and Waikato District Health Board Intensive Care Unit nurse; Sir Neville Jordan, Chair of Engineering Education to Employment; Lisa Albiston, ABB Technical Team Leader and Guy Ryan, CEO and Founder of Inspiring Stories and former Young New Zealander of the Year Award recipient.

Each school and centre will also hold a Special Awards event during graduation week to recognise the top students of 2015.

See our Graduation site for full details.