The first twelve seconds of this clip seems appropriate.
Well, some of us who attended institutions of higher education :: cough, cough :: don’t do whatever we studied for in the first place. As a matter of fact I had two completely unrelated careers in my life, and diplomas to go with them. Right now I am an ‘independent professional’ doing something completely different from where I started, and my office is behind my kitchen. Who would I impress with all these yellowing papers? Meh!
I was embarrassed to show my diploma when I graduated! After all the time and effort at the University of Guelph, they hand me an 8.5x11" page that looks like it was printed up in Word that morning (seriously, the font looks suspiciously like an italicised version of Times New Roman) on what strongly resembles University letterhead. It sucked! It didn’t even come in a nice cardboard folder or anything; just an ugly-ass regular envelope! I was really disappointed, and I could tell a lot of the other students at that convocation were looking at theirs with a WTF??!?! look on their face!
My husband has two, large, beautiful, Latin, calligraphied diplomas from McMaster (his BEng and MASc). He got the first one framed, then put the other one in on top of it in the same frame. It’s sitting in a corner, helping to prop up that book case! hehehe I don’t know what kind of paperwork he’ll get with is PE, but as a jr. eng. all he gets is a little paper wallet card.
mnemosyne, did you let the university know what you thought of it? Getting the degree is a crowning moment in your academic life; you shouldn’t be made to feel ashamed of it. maybe if grads start squawking, the university might change it?
(Plus, from a crass advertising perspective, I would think university administrators wouldn’t like to hear their grads say “My degree is so cheap-looking I won’t even hang it up in my office.”)
No, I didn’t talk to anyone at the university about it. I actually never set foot on that campus again after convocation, and the only communication I had with the school was an address change! I loved the school, it’s just that I didn’t really ever have any reason to go back, and now that I’m not even in the province… well, it’s just not worth the effort! Besides, I’ve gone back to school to get an Engineering degree - I think McGill has prettier diplomas, though for me it’s all about the ring! I need more jewelery! hehehe
You know, the Guelph one would have been a bit better if they had bothered to print it in landscape! It just looks even tackier because it’s in portrait layout!
Forgive my ignorance… what is a PE? the only “PE” I know of is Physical Education… is that what you people are talking about?
Principles and Practice of Engineering exam, which is required to be a Professional Engineer.