More than 520 students graduated with certificates, diplomas, and degrees from the National University of Samoa (N.U.S.) for the Academic Year 2018 at the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa Youth Hall at Mulinu’u on Friday.

The graduation was attended by the University's Chancellor, the Head of State, His Highness Tuimaleali’ifano Va’aletoa Sualauvi II, Vice Chancellor Professor Fui Asofou So'o, Council members of N.U.S., families and friends of the graduates.

Vice-Chancellor of the University of Otago, Professor Harlene Hayne, challenged the graduates during her keynote address.

“We are here to celebrate your amazing academic achievement. I know that every graduate in this room will go on to make important contributions to the intellectual, cultural, spiritual, and economical decisions within communities and families," she said. 

“For some of you, your contributions will extend throughout the world but as you move forward in your personal and professional lives, I challenge you to establish and nurture strong relationships - to separate diversity within our communities and tolerance to truly accept each other.

“I also challenge the graduates to reflect on the amazing privilege of your education." 

Prof. Hayne said on the basis of her own experience, the graduates' experience can change not only their lives but the lives of their children. 

"But the greatest gift you can ever give a teacher is simply to say thank you. I challenge you take some time to consider all the ways which your teachers, professors and your family have prepared your full journey until today - just say thank you to them.

“Finally, you and your ancestors have been living in the Pacific Ocean for centuries, you are descendants of explorers, of risk takers, who dared dream about the impossible given this, I would like to give you a final challenge, continue to take risks and to continue to dream about the impossible."

Prof. Hayne concluded with a quote from Mark Twain, "Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by ones that you did do, so throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, dream and discover".