必吃大瓜Commencement 2011: a Wonderful Ceremony
On Wednesday, June 22, the 必吃大瓜Commencement took place in the open-air amphitheater of ACT. Mr. Nikos Pentzos, President of the Federation of Industries of Northern Greece addressed the graduates of 2011 in a touching speech that could not avoid mentioning the difficulties of our times derived mainly by the tough economic conditions. Mr. Pentzos underlined the most serious obstacles that a young entrepreneur would face in his effort to start a new business today in Greece, but he urged graduates to always stay faithful to their principles and values, no matter how difficult the road would be. “After all, what does high mean?”, he said. “How can we define success? I truly believe that it doesn’t matter how far you get, but how ‘well’ you reach your destination, wherever that is, and how you have remained true to yourselves when one day you take a look in the mirror at the end of the road”. He also referred to the emblematic moto of the 1899 graduation photo “Dare to do Right”, which is also the theme of the celebration of the 125th anniversary of Anatolia College and the 30th anniversary of ACT. “Give one hundred per cent in whatever you do and be fully aware of the choices you make”, he said.
This year’s awards are the following:
- ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR AWARD: Mr. Nikolaos Pentzos ‘91
- JOHN PAPPAJOHN ENTREPRENEURIAL AWARD: Mr. Zlatin Georgiev
- PHILIP AND MARJORIE IRELAND HUMANITARIAN AND PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD: Mr. Alexandros Taxildaris
- VALEDICTORY: Mr. Ermal Vila
- ALKI KYRIAKIDOU-NESTOROS AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN LIBERAL ARTS: Mr. Ermal Vila
- WILLIAM W. McGREW AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN HISTORY & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS: Mr. Plamen Panov
- ELIZABETH YPHANTIS DEMETER AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION: Ms. Lida Khachatryan
- STAVROS S. NIARCHOS AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN COMPUTING: Mr. Marko Alexic
- FOTIS MINARETZIS MEMORIAL STUDENT ACTIVITIES AWARD: Ms. Sevasti Cuci
- BEST ATHLETE AWARD: Mr. Plamen Panov
- BORJAN TANEVSKI MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP AWARD: Ms. Emilia Georgieva
Mr. Ermal Vila gave a particularly touching valedictory speech mentioning all the difficulties he faced on his way to ACT.