2015 Graduation: ITC’s biggest yet!
Some of our beautiful graduates at the 2015 Graduation Ceremony. The theme for this year was ‘Midwinter Christmas’
On Saturday 27th of June ITC welcomed hundreds of students and their families to the official 2015 Graduation Ceremony at The Langham, Auckland. Held in the hotel’s stylish Great Room, the largest pillarless ballroom in New Zealand, the night was a wonderful celebration of student success. With a total of 700 guests, it was also ITC’s biggest graduation to-date!
The evening kicked off with canapes and drinks, the perfect opportunity for students, staff and industry to mingle. The dress code was black tie and all of the students looked absolutely stunning – there were a lot of sparkles, high heels and smart suits.
As students and guests took their seats for the official ceremony, the buzz in the room was infectious; you could tell everyone was so excited and proud to be celebrating their hard work and achievement.
“We love the feeling in the air on the night at Graduation,” said ITC City Campus Manager Michelle Chatfield.
“There is such a sense of achievement and pride. It is truly a huge celebration of student success and the people that have helped them get there. At the end of the day, this is why the ITC team work at the college, and to be able to acknowledge everyone’s hard work on such a glamorous night is simply fantastic!”
The ceremony started with a Powhiri and Kapa Haka performance by the outstanding Edgewater College Kapa Haka Group, followed by a welcoming speech from ITC Managing Director Kerry Priestley.
MP for Botany, Jami-Lee Ross, then took to the stage. Jami-Lee is heavily involved with the Botany community and has visited ITC’s South Auckland Campus. He had nothing but great things to say about the tourism industry in New Zealand, and congratulated ITC students for making a ‘smart career choice’.
Jami-Lee also spoke about his own journey, from his experience as a commercial pilot with Ardmore Flying School, to getting involved in politics and community development. He shared some great advice with ITC graduates, encouraging them to follow their dreams and continue to work hard.
Following Jami-Lee’s speech was a performance by the Happy Hour Dance Crew. This group was a real crowd-pleaser and had several guests dancing, singing and clapping their hands along with the music. They performed a ‘mash-up’ of routines to a range of pop and R&B songs, including classics such as ‘YMCA’ and even ‘Bob the Builder’!
The Happy Hour Dance Crew
After the Happy Hour Dance Crew, ITC’s second guest speaker, David Simmons, was welcomed to the stage. David has had a hugely successful career in the tourism industry so far, having landed his first General Manager role at just 26 years old. He is just about to take up a new role with Tourism Holdings as COO and is also the Chairman of Discover New Zealand. He encouraged ITC graduates to ‘be bold’ and make the most of all the opportunities presented to them.
ITC is incredibly grateful to both Jami-Lee and David for making time in their busy schedules to speak to graduates – they will remember this night, and the advice shared, for many years to come.
Our guest speakers. Right: Jami-Lee Ross, MP for Botany. Left: David Simmons, COO at Tourism Holdings
Next up was the moment everyone had been waiting for – the awarding of certificates and special awards! Each ITC graduate had their moment to shine on stage.
ITC South Auckland Campus Manager Natasha Allen said it was wonderful to acknowledge every student’s achievement in a formal setting.
“It was amazing to see so many students celebrate their successes with family and friends. We were all part of something special – watching students proudly walk up onto the stage to collect their certificates and take the next step towards gaining an exciting new job out in the industry that we all love,” Natasha said.
“Congratulations to all the graduating students – your successes make us proud!”
The night wouldn’t have been possible without the support of ITC’s amazing industry sponsors. ITC would like to formally thank: The Langham Hotel, Jucy, Ecozip, YHA, Stray Travel, Sky Jump Auckland, Great Sights & Intercity, Nomads, Auckland Bridge Climb & Bungy, 360 Discovery, Rainbows End, Auckland Whale & Dolphin Safari and Explore NZ.
Posted in Student success | Tagged 2015 Graduation, Celebration, Student success, The Langham |One Response to “2015 Graduation: ITC’s biggest yet!”
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Kyleigh says:
The highlight of our year – Celebrating success!
Kyleigh