ITE College East Graduation Day 2013

It was the day that all ITE graduates were waiting for. A day that marked a new chapter for all that had walked through this leg of their education journey. It was a day filled with a gamut of emotions - bittersweet, happiness, melancholic, ecstatic. Hugs and tears were a common sight.

It is none other than ITE College East Graduation Day 2013. This momentous day on 16 May saw over 1,000 smartly dressed graduates, together with their proud family members and guests, gathering at the Indoor Sports Hall (ISH) to celebrate the triumphant occasion. 

The arrival of the Guest-of-Honour Ms Jessica Tan, Advisor to East Coast GRC and Grassroots Organisation and also a Member of Parliament for East Coast GRC, was greeted with thunderous applause. In her speech later on, Ms Tan shared several heart-warming and motivational stories on change and perseverance.

Performances by the guitar club, the pop band and the sand animation club entertained the audiences, followed by a 15-minute heart-warming video, which featured the trials and tribulations of several students who gave a glimpse of their lives in school and shared their gratitude to the lecturers and loved ones. 

Mr Eden Liew, the principal of ITE College East, also addressed the audience and cited a quote from the movie, Invictus, which featured a poem by William Ernest Henley. 

Out of the night that covers me, 

Black as the Pit from Pole to pole

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul. 

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud. 

Under the burgeoning of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed. 

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the Horror of the shade, 

And yet the menace of the years

Finds, and shall find, me unafraid. 

It matters not how strait the gate, 

How charged with punishments the scroll. 

I am the master of my fate;

I am the captain of my soul. 

The award ceremony started with the presentation of awards in 5 categories:

(1)  Environmental care award

(2)  Community volunteerism

(3)  Innovation and enterprise

(4)  Arts excellence

(5)  Sports excellence

This is followed by the Outstanding Graduate Award received by 27 graduate who made up the top 1% of the student cohort and had performed exceptionally well in their studies, co-curricular activities (CCA) as well as community services. Student Tan Kah Yuan received the ITE College East ExcellenCE Award for which he was given the opportunity to deliver the valedictorian speech. 

Once the main ceremony was over, the four schools continued with their individual certificate presentation, in which each school was assigned to different locations in the campus:

(1)  MLT for School of Engineering graduates

(2)  Function Hall for School of Electronic Informatics Technology graduates

(3)  Auditorium for School of Applied Health Sciences graduates 

(4)  Indoor Sports Hall for School of Business graduates 

After the certificate presentation ended, the students and guests were invited to tea receptions in various locations. 

Congratulations to all graduates of 2013!

~ Ruth Aloha, Roseanne Seah, Atiqah and Haziq, ITE CE Journal Club reporters ~