Cole McOnie, pictured with Dotorhy Gaunt.
When Waikato University celebrated its 90,000th graduate it sparked a celebration which had a true Waipā flavour.
The student was Cole McOnie, an international class BMX rider from Te Awamutu.
To recognise the achievement, the Alumni Association invited Cole and members of his family to a morning tea where they met some of the first graduates who had attended the University in 1964.
He was introduced to Dorothy Gaunt, the third person capped by the University. The first two, including the first graduate, Peter Allen, who grew up in Cambridge, have died.
Dorothy Gaunt enrolled when the university buildings comprised A block and a cow shed. Today the university complex comprises more than 100 purpose built lecture theatres.
The first 19 graduates – who all received a Bachelor of Arts – were capped in 1967 at Hamilton’s Founder’s Theatre.
At the Claudelands arena Cole, whose graduating class was almost 600-strong, received a Bachelor of Health, Sport and Human Resources.
