June 27, 2014 a traditional ceremony honoring the best university graduates in 2014 was held in Saint Petersburg. The ceremony was attended by representatives from more than 70 universities in the northern capital, including the recent students of the ITMO University Ekaterina Kalkina and Maria Kovaleva.
By tradition, in honor of the best graduates a midday shot of a signal gun of the Peter and Paul fortress was made. This year students were congratulated by Alexander Parkhomenko, the chairman of the committee on youth policy and cooperation with public organisations of St. Petersburg, and Vladimir Vasiliev, the chairman of the council of rectors of St. Petersburg, the rector of the ITMO University. At the ceremony the graduates were awarded diplomas of the Government of Saint Petersburg and bronze statues of sphinxes, symbolizing wisdom and fortitude. All awarded students actively expressed themselves not only in their studies, but also in academic and extracurricular activities.
This year, at the festival the ITMO University was presented by Ekaterina Kalkina and Maria Kovaleva. Ekaterina Kalkina has always been an active participant in the public life of the university. Within two years, Ekaterina has been leading student council; in 2013 she was awarded an honorary badge of Saint Tatiana, and the title of "Student of the Year" in the category best leader of the student government.
Maria Kovaleva is the chairman of monitors, in 2011 she won the title of "Best University Student" and in the same year won a scholarship of the fund of Vladimir Potanin. Maria participated in the organization of social competition for student projects "People need you!", which this year was awarded the "Best student social project in the field of volunteering" in the all-Russian competition "Student asset".
We congratulate the graduates of the ITMO University and wish them further success!