![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/NCHE-Staff-3.jpg\")
Guest Speaker<\/strong><\/p>\n Dr Boubakar Sanou, Chair of the Department of World Mission at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, Andrews University, and an alumnus of NCHE in the 1990s, served as Guest Speaker for this year\u2019s Awards Ceremony. Drawing on his expertise in the impact of culture on leadership behaviour and its implications for Christian witness, he addressed the graduating students by focusing on the values of the the NCHE motif, Life Changing \/ Faith Affirming. <\/em>Recognising how Newbold influenced his life, he said, “<\/em>I knew one thing – that I had been changed forever – because Newbold changed me.” He continued, “Not only did it expand my thinking, but it also reinforced my faith – and I thank you, Newbold, for that.”<\/p>\n Referring to many NCHE staff past and present, Sanou shared how so many had supported him in word and deed, “They affirmed our humanity, and they became a part of our story. Through their example”, he continued, “Ministry is not just what we do, but who we are in Christ … sermons without words.”<\/p>\n Looking to the present and the future, Sanou emphasised, “Today is more than a celebration of the past, but a sacred moment of recommitment. This gathering is also a reminder of our calling in the present. Together, we are\u00a0 Newbold’s legacy. We are a living testament to the values that shaped this institution. In whatever role you serve, I invite you to be voices of hope and healing, modelling humility, generosity and grace.”<\/p>\n The Graduate Response<\/strong><\/p>\n In response, Alexandre Oriheula Ghiorzi, addressing his fellow graduates, recognised that the importance of marking milestones , “Only we know what we walked through to be here today.” Challenging his fellow graduates, he added, “Resist the temptation to close your notebook for good, because they have a life to live, because this is not the end of our studies, but the beginning of our own explorations. We can now pursue truth, freely, deeply and fully.”<\/p>\n “We are very grateful to the professors and staff”, Ghiorzi continued, “You deeply gave of yourselves, and we have appreciated your insight. We are also immensely thankful for our families for honouring their investment in us.” Using an ingenous wordplay,\u00a0 Ghiorzi concluded expressing hope that their future journey would be ‘new’ and ‘bold’!<\/p>\n Following Ghiorzi’s response, attention turned to the ceremony’s highlight \u2014 the presentation of the graduating students, led by Serb, Duda, Santona, and Dr Lazlo Gallusz.<\/p>\n The awards were validated by the University of Wales Trinity Saint David to 60 students (1 posthumous).<\/p>\n Certificate of <\/strong>Higher Education<\/strong><\/p>\n Chali Mumba (2024)<\/p>\n Diploma of <\/strong>Higher Education<\/strong><\/p>\n Randolph Reyes<\/p>\n Bachelor of Arts <\/strong>with Honours in Biblical <\/strong>and Pastoral Studies<\/strong><\/p>\n Don Chihwayi Graduate Diploma in Biblical and Pastoral Studies<\/strong><\/p>\n Karli Alyn Fredrickson (2024) Master of Arts in Theology<\/strong><\/p>\n Wilson Lagos (2024) Postgraduate Certificate in Mission<\/strong><\/p>\n Ashriah Akakpo (Merit) Postgraduate Certificate in Theology<\/strong><\/p>\n Oleg Khomiak<\/p>\n Postgraduate Diploma in Theology<\/strong><\/p>\n Forrest Douglas (Merit)<\/p>\n Posthumous Award<\/strong><\/p>\n Marica Mirilov (Merit)<\/p>\n The ceremony concluded with the ancient Irish hymn Be Thou My Vision<\/em>,\u00b9 a shared prayer in which students, faculty, family, and friends asked Christ to be their vision, wisdom, and truth \u2014 the very heart of the pastoral calling. It is a call to see the world through God\u2019s eyes, to surrender fully to His guidance, to depend on His strength, and to walk closely with Him, both living and sharing the truth of His character.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n With the graduates moving on into further academic study, or beginning their career journey, the prayer continues\u2014that whatever lies ahead, they will live out the hymn\u2019s enduring value: \u201cHeart of my own heart, whatever befall, still be my vision, O Ruler of all.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/p>\n [Photos: David Neal, \u00a0photo of Marica Mirilov: Asun Olivan]<\/p>\n \u00b9Author: Anonymous<\/em> \u2014 traditionally attributed to St\u202fDall\u00e1n Forgaill, a 6th\u2011century Irish poet, though linguistic scholars now date the poem to the 10th\u201311th century<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Ministry is not just what we do, but who we are in Christ … sermons without words<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":37,"featured_media":23889,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1571,1588,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23751","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-education-educational-entities","category-ireland-united-kingdom","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23751","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/37"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23751"}],"version-history":[{"count":58,"href":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23751\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23904,"href":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23751\/revisions\/23904"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23889"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23751"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23751"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23751"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Dr.-SAnou-1.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Alexandre-Oriheula-Ghiorzi.jpg\")
\nJo\u00e3o Guilherme Ferreira Herculano
\nYui Hanada
\nJohn-Michael David Ventus Lucas
\nWilliam Alexander Middleditch
\nMia-Mercedes Orgla (1st)
\nMikael Jonathan Takamaa
\nAndr\u00e9 Vieira da Silva<\/p>\n
\nRico Gauzon (2024)
\nRohail John (2024)
\nAnderson Prince Edison
\nMylene Eilander
\nJoe Martti Ketton (Merit)
\nMaris Kraulins (Merit)
\nMarvellous Anywhere Muchada
\nKarolina Mabinty Poland (Distinction)
\nHeavenest St Cyr (Merit)<\/p>\n
\nAshriah Akakpo (Merit)
\nMartynas Baltiejus
\nSamuel Betasone
\nEdward Boampong
\nBaraka Butoke
\nRodrigo Cerencovich
\nNathaniel Frimpong-Manso
\nCamilla Maria Gustafsson (Distinction)
\nManami Inada (Distinction)
\nPiniel Karuma
\nGerrit Willem Laarman
\nMarco Jonas Diagmel Lapuz (Merit)
\nJames McMahon (Distinction)
\nEthan Mpozempizi
\nSophia Nicholls (Merit)
\nRonnie Oddane (Distinction)
\nAlexandre Oriheula Ghiorzi (Merit)
\nHellen Pinela Diaz (Merit)
\nDaniel Quiles dos Santos
\nIoannis Samaras (Distinction)
\nTiago Santos Pereira
\nAndrija Stanojevi\u0107 (Merit)<\/p>\n
\nSteven George (Merit)
\nCamilla Maria Gustafsson (Distinction)
\nSaw Hsathoolei Hser Hsertawbu
\nManami Inada
\nPiniel Karuma (Merit)
\nEthan Mpozempizi (Merit)
\nSophia Nicholls
\nAlexandre Oriheula Ghiorzi (Distinction)
\nHellen Pinela Diaz
\nDaniel Quiles dos Santos
\nAndrija Stanojevi\u0107
\nStanley Teixeira (Merit)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Marica-and-Steve-3-16x9-1.jpg\")
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