Living the Pledge

By Erin Mason

At every convocation, graduands recite the Graduate's Pledge, iterating their commitment to learning, community and representing the U of C. Leading the pledge is a distinguished graduate, a member of the U of C alumni family noted for their success in living up to its principles.

Our distinguished graduate for May's convocation is Shirzad Ahmed, LLB'00.

"I feel that I've lived the pledge," says Ahmed. "It's an honour for me to support new grads and inspire them to strengthen their communities."

When he arrived at U of C, Ahmed's goal was clear: gain the knowledge he needed to help others through his chosen profession, law. "When you give back, it's something you leave behind," he says.

Ahmed also emphasizes the importance of seeing the big picture-looking outside ourselves-because the more we learn, the more tolerant we are. "How we live today is impacting others," he says. "We think little about the rights of others and leaving something behind."

Ahmed lives his life in service to his community. He primarily works in immigration, refugee and human rights law. Those less fortunate, those who need a second chance, are the people to whom Shirzad is most dedicated.

"It's not only in the great tragedies of life that our character is tested," he says. "It's in ordinary situations. We won't always be here but our character will endure in those we meet."

For Ahmed, every day is about giving back. By reciting the Graduate's Pledge, he's passing along his inspiration to the new generation of U of C grads to get involved in their community and be inspired to make the world a better place. 

 

Shirzad Ahmed, LLB'00, is a recipient of the 2009 Alberta Order of Excellence and the 2008 Distinguished Service Award for Pro Bono Legal Service from the Law Society of Alberta and Canadian Bar Association. Shirzad is a respected advocate of immigrants and refugees in need and a champion of human rights in Alberta, across Canada and around the world. Read more about Shirzad here.