The Executive Chairman of the McDan Group of Companies, Daniel McKorley, has urged graduates of tertiary institutions to uphold integrity, discipline and a positive attitude as they pursue their careers.
Mr McKorley said success was determined not only by academic qualifications but also by character.
"What will make you stand out there is your attitude. Everybody you meet at the workplace has a degree, maybe even a master's degree," he said at the Wisconsin International University College graduation ceremony in Accra last Friday,
He challenged the graduates to reflect on how they would apply the knowledge acquired during their studies to make a meaningful impact on society.
The ceremony, held on the theme: "25 Years On: Advancing Knowledge Across Disciplines and Impacting Across Communities", also recognised outstanding academic achievements.
Recognition
The overall best graduating undergraduate student, Daniella Quansah, of the Bachelor of Science in Public Health Nursing programme, obtained an accumulated weighted average of 86.42.
She received an award shield, a laptop from the university and a cash prize of GH¢10,000 from the McDan Group.
Delivering the valedictory address, Ms Quansah described her selection as a privilege and reflected on the challenges and sacrifices that characterised the academic journey.
"Today, we stand here transformed, not just as graduates, but as individuals equipped with knowledge, resilience and a deep sense of purpose," she said.
She expressed gratitude to lecturers, parents, guardians and sponsors for their support and urged her fellow graduates to use their knowledge to serve society.
"The world out there requires more than just academic intelligence; it demands integrity, empathy and innovation," she stated.
Growth
The President of the university, Lawrence Kannae, described the event as historic, explaining that it was the institution's first dual graduation ceremony, necessitated by the growing number of students and graduates.
He said the university had grown significantly over the years, increasing from fewer than 600 graduates annually about a decade ago to more than 2,500 graduates within a single academic year.
Mr Kannae said Wisconsin continued to expand its academic programmes to meet emerging global demands, including the introduction of courses in Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, as well as postgraduate programmes in Nursing and Law.
He announced that the university would introduce a Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship and Innovation and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from the next academic semester.
The President urged the graduates to become problem-solvers and innovators.
"You are not graduating just to get a job. You are graduating to change the conditions that made that job necessary in the first place," he said.
Impact
The Chairman of the University Council, Justice Isaac Duose, said the most valuable resource of any nation was its human capital.
He said the university remained committed to producing competent graduates capable of contributing to national development and global progress.
Justice Duose who is a retired justice of the Court of Appeal highlighted the institution's growing international influence, revealing that a delegation from its Faculty of Nursing was in Tanzania assisting the University of Iringa to establish nursing, midwifery and community health departments.
He urged the graduates to use their knowledge and skills in service to society and strive for excellence in all their endeavours.
