Convocation 2020: Roger Regular, BPA

AU gave me the flexibility to earn my degree while continuing to work full time and live in my home community, reducing expenses and maintaining the support system that each student so desperately needs.

Thank you to all of the instructors, tutors and support staff who challenged me over the years, helped me figure things out, pushed me to be my best, and at times frustrated the hell out of me because we disagreed on certain things. Without all of them, I wouldn’t have this. Thank you to my parents Les Regular and Rhoda Regular, who’ve always pushed me to do better, always encouraged me to keep learning (from a very, very young age), and were always proud of every achievement, no matter how small. Without those Sesame Street encyclopedias as bedtime stories when I was five, I don’t know if I’d have come this far. Thank you to all of my friends who supported me and understood when I said no to those visits or parties, those who’ve seen the frustration and dedication first-hand. Finally, thank you to my sister, my rock, my biggest supporter. Without you, Leslie Roma Regular, I definitely would NOT have made it this far. You are the only person on this planet who can put up with my craziness, my long philosophical rants about the world, my frustration, annoyance, and insane ideas. You’ve been my biggest cheerleader for far too many years and it’s my turn to return the favour (whether you like it or not)!

My favourite memory from my time at AU was finally earning that degree! 14 years of dedication, patience and hard work finally paid off.

Completing my degree will open many new doors for my career path and I can finally get started in my criminal justice journey.

The flexibility of AU has given me many opportunities to enjoy life while furthering my educational goals. One challenge in particular was participating in a family vacation to my home town while dealing with the stress of assignment deadlines. Despite those challenges, I managed to complete term papers while travelling, and working on those essays between enjoying live entertainment.

Wide open! My ultimate plan is to attend law school, but maybe, just maybe I’ll be back at AU for another degree first!

The flexibility of AU confirms its presence as a leader in the educational field. Living in a remote Indigenous community in Northern Ontario provides unique challenges to quality education, but AU’s distance learning model has proven that flexibility does not hinder quality. We need more of this in our current society, opening doors for many more disadvantaged people.