N.S. university drops sex offender as valedictorian after learning of his past
HALIFAX — A Halifax university recently dropped its valedictorian days before the campus graduation ceremonies, after learning he was a convicted sex offender.
A spokeswoman for Mount Saint Vincent University confirmed Friday that Ricardo Gorski had been slated to deliver the May 18 valedictory address until the school was informed of his background and confirmed he had been convicted of sexual assault.
Gillian Batten, a spokeswoman for the university, said the dean of the business administration department, which Gorski had graduated from, contacted him, and the student then dropped out of the ceremony.
“I was told the dean contacted him as soon as he was made aware of the issue, and at that point he (Gorski) withdrew,” said Batten.