By Musa Yaro, Calabar
The Arthur Jarvis University Akpabuyo, on Saturday, awarded certificates and Bachelor’s degrees to a total of 251-graduating students.
The maiden and combined convocation for graduands of 2019/2020, 2020/2021, and 2021/2022 saw the emergence of 18 deserving students bagging first class while 115 secured second class upper division and 91grabbing second class lower division, among others.
Speaking during the event, the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof Ani Nkang, charged the graduating students to continue to entrench the culture of discipline, hard work, integrity, and excellence wherever they find 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,” Nkang said.
The Vice-Chancellor who disclosed that the institution has initiated the process of starting a School of Postgraduate Studies with the National Universities Commission also said that the University management has approved the creation of the graduate assistantship cadre for first-class graduates of the institution.
He admonished the graduands to apply and avail themselves of the opportunities offered by the scheme.
He also revealed that the institution’s Nursing students will be joining their counterparts across the country for the professional examination for general and post-basic nurses scheduled for May 2023.
Chancellor of the University, Sir Arthur Jarvis Archibong, reaffirmed that the institution is not a rehabilitation center for drug users, unruly students, and cultists as anyone apprehended will be sanctioned.
Archibong also encouraged parents and guardians to be more proactive in their roles as first custodians of their wards.
“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 society to mold your children into what they become, you don’t only fail as a parent you also fail the society.”
The chancellor explained that almost a hundred students from host communities of Akpabuyo and Bakassi local government areas enjoy full scholarships from his desk, with over 400 more students to be fully trained and fit for global competition within a space of five years from now.
Three best-graduating students (Yeneochia Agbor of Biological Sciences 2020/2021 with 4.92 CGPA; Edidiong Edet of Political Science Department 2019/2020 with 4.73CGPA and Diligence Benson of Physics Department 2021/2022 with 4.70 CGPA).
The beneficiaries commended the institution management for the platform afforded them to reach such heights in academics.
Earlier in the convocation lecture, a Professor of Business Management, Joe Duke, implored the University management to integrate entrepreneurship education into its curricula.
This, he said will help develop and deepen entrepreneurial skills in the students irrespective of their major areas of study.
Duke told the graduating students: “Live your own dream and act out your own script.
“Do something you believe will make a difference; not just to yourself but to 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.”
