‘Set a new standard for what humanity can achieve’: Nicholas Brathwaite installed as McMaster’s chancellor

McMaster’s new chancellor called on the graduating class of 2026 to use their education to make an impact and close the gaps that exist in society.

Following his installation as chancellor at spring convocation, Nicholas Brathwaite encouraged new graduates to use the skills they learned at the university to improve the lives of their families, their communities and everyone they meet.

“Go out into the world and embody our collective mission: to break barriers, to foster hope, and to set a new standard for what humanity can achieve,” Braitwaite told the audience of new Faculty of Health Sciences graduates, their supporters, and McMaster faculty and staff.

The May 20 ceremony marked the official commencement of Brathwaite’s role as ambassador for McMaster, celebrating his legacy of innovation, commitment to education, and global leadership in technology, business and philanthropy.

From the beginning of his journey in Carriacou, Grenada, to his role as a founding managing partner at infrastructure technology investment firm Celesta Capital, Brathwaite said he’s been motivated by a desire to make the world a better place. He credited McMaster with equipping him with the foundational tools to achieve his dreams.

“This university is not only a national treasure; it is an engine of global impact,” said Brathwaite, who graduated from McMaster with a degree in Applied Chemistry in 1982 and received an honorary doctorate from the DeGroote School of Business in 2018.

He said McMaster’s impact can be seen in the achievements of those who don’t always make the front page, including Corie Bain, a PETNA Foundation Brathwaite Scholar who was among those in the Chancellor’s robing party during the ceremony.

Bain, who is also from Grenada, said he was honoured to take part in Brathwaite’s installation and said the scholarship gave him a chance to pursue an education he may not have otherwise been able to receive.

“I now work in the computer science field here in Canada thanks to this life-changing opportunity, and I’m very grateful to Chancellor Brathwaite and the Foundation,” said Bain, who graduated with a Computer Science degree in 2019.

“I hope to give back as much as I have been given and extend my good fortune to others.”

Brathwaite’s Grenadian roots were celebrated by his childhood friend and Juno award-winning producer and pianist Eddie Bullen with a special performance of Louis Armstrong’s What A Wonderful World, which Brathwaite said brought “profound depth, soul and emotion” to the ceremony.

The bonds of friendship were also highlighted by Donette Chin-Loy Chang, Chancellor of Toronto Metropolitan University, who called Brathwaite’s life and career an “instruction manual for what it means to be a citizen and a friend.”

Through his position as chancellor, Brathwaite will serve as a trusted advisor to McMaster President Susan Tighe and other leaders at the university. Tighe said Brathwaite is an “outstanding example” of someone who represents McMaster’s highest values and aspirations.

“We are very proud and grateful to have such an exemplary leader as our Chancellor and I look forward to the many convocation ceremonies and conversations that lie ahead for us,” said Tighe.

Brathwaite said his career in the tech sector has prepared him to guide McMaster in an era of unprecedented uncertainty and widespread disruption, noting that disruption is an opportunity for McMaster to become more dynamic and embrace change.

“McMaster has never shied away from the frontier,” said Brathwaite.

“We are positioning this university to be the first choice for industries and governments seeking solutions to the world’s most complex problems.”

He urged the Faculty of Health Sciences graduates in attendance to strive for impact over security as they set out on their own journeys.

“When technology disrupts your industry — and it will — do not fear it. Harness it, lead it, but most importantly, humanize it.”