Stonehill International School Hosts an Emotional Graduation Ceremony in the Midst of the Pandemic

Bangalore, 24^th May, 2021: Stonehill International School hosted a virtual graduation ceremony for the graduating class of 2021 recently. Though the graduation ceremony was not what they envisioned, it was a bright spot in yet another challenging year, bringing together the Stonehill community to celebrate the students and their accomplishments.

The graduation ceremony was attended by Mr.Jitu Virwani, Founder, Stonehill International School and Chairman & MD, Embassy Group. The virtual ceremony started with a special tribute video to all the students, followed by memories shared by each of them. The ceremony included a message from the Secondary Principal, Mr. Joe Lumsden, “At Stonehill, one of the values we promote is confidence and in today’s world you will need plenty of it to navigate the complex situations that you will be faced with. So take this confidence out into the world, take responsibility, make tough decisions and try to improve people’s lives in some way…”

The class of 2021, a unique generation of learners, had the benefit of learning from school as well as from life. Never has a graduating class been called to step into the future with more purpose, vision, and hope. This year’s Valedictorian, Daeun Lee commented on her experience at Stonehill, “Stonehill helped me find an academic interest and my identity as an independent individual...The ability to articulate my thoughts clearly and open up to others with a mindset of a global citizen is something I learned in Stonehill that will help me in university...”

100% of the graduating class received admission offers and are now headed to prestigious universities in the USA, UK, Canada, Europe, Asia and Australia. They have opted for diverse areas of study like Computer Science, Medicine, Engineering, Design, Business Management, Genetics, Law, Philosophy, Politics, Economics and Hospitality, to name a few. 

87% of the students received offers from the world’s top 100 universities like University of Cambridge, UK; University of California, LA, US; Dartmouth College, US; New York University, US; King's College London, UK; University of Warwick, UK; University of Bristol, UK; University of Toronto, Canada; University of British Columbia, Canada; University of Waterloo, Canada, McGill University, Canada, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, US; Boston University, US; Kelley School of Business, Indiana University, Bloomington,US; Babson College, US; Bocconi University, Italy; Essec University, Paris; Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, HK to name a few. The class of thirty nine students received scholarships worth over $ 3.5 Million (USD).

"Congratulations to the class of 2021 graduates for their achievements. It has been a challenging year, but you have made the best of it. You have taken advantage of the many opportunities to learn and grow this year. I look forward to the promise that you will bring to yourself and to the world in the future." said Dr. Brian Brumsickle, Head of School.

Mr.Jitu Virwani, Founder, Stonehill International School and Chairman & MD, Embassy Group addressed the graduates with an inspirational message, “This is your moment to use your power and knowledge to stand for and create a better society. The world as we know it has changed significantly, so be open to the change and don’t hesitate to dream differently…”

About Stonehill International School:

Spread over 34 acres, nestled 20 minutes away from the Bangalore airport, the Stonehill campus is spacious, purpose-built, safe and highly conducive to learning. Stonehill is an IB school which is fully accredited by CIS/NEASC and the Australian Boarding Schools Association. Students from age three through secondary school, reside on the state-of-the art campus that features extensive sports fields and facilities, swimming pool, an equestrian centre, boarding houses, a dedicated STEM Block and an Arts Centre, two libraries, and a cafeteria.

Stonehill offers education in a warm and friendly small school environment, where each student’s quest for individual excellence is a priority. The students and teachers at Stonehill come from India as well as over 35 different countries spanning the globe.