The following article was submitted by Marika Kemeny, communications officer at Glendon College.
A familiar face in Glendon’s Office of Student Programs, Georgette Wong, right, has attended many convocations in her seven years as a staff assistant. But the ceremony on Oct. 22 was the most memorable: this time, Wong was the one receiving a Glendon Honours BA in French Studies.
Right: From left, Georgette and Angéline Wong
And the best part was, she received her diploma at the same convocation as her daughter, Angéline, who graduated from the Atkinson Faculty of Liberal & Professional Studies with a BA and a Certificate in Marketing.
While Atkinson and Glendon normally have separate convocation events in the spring, mother and daughter elected to graduate together at Fall Convocation, held at York’s Keele campus.
When asked what it was like to attend classes at the same time as her daughter, Georgette’s face lit up. "It was a wonderful experience and something that bound us even more closely together," she said. "I wanted to do something that I had not had the opportunity to do before. In attending university as a mature student, I also wanted Angéline to understand that you can study at any age and it is always rewarding."
Mother and daughter were particularly pleased with their last credit, taken this summer – a Spanish language course which they attended together. Helping each other learn a new language was especially fun.
As they neared completion of their degree requirements, Georgette persuaded her reluctant daughter to participate in convocation. "The ceremony turned out to be very meaningful for both of us – the crowning of a significant achievement. I have been to so many convocations through my work but I only realized its importance when it was time for Angéline and me to don our gowns and join the procession."