Basically, how it starts with diplomas and
degrees is we receive a list of names.
The format that we receive the names in is
in an excel file, and it has all the data
that we need for each of the student names.
So it's a process where we try to take as
little human intervention in the mix.
So less margin of error, and we try to do
things with variable data so we can get the
degrees outputted quickly and as accurately
as possible.
With our printing process, first they print
out shells of the diplomas, which have the
McMaster header and crest on it, as well as
the McMaster seal.
Those are pre-printed and ready to go at printing,
and then when I send them my PDF with everyone's
names and degrees on it, they do another run,
and they pre-print that on top of the shells.
So, by the end of it, you've got a really
nice looking degree.
Sometimes with the degrees there are changes
as far as the design and styling goes of them.
It doesn't happen very often, because institutions
around the world actually know what our degrees
look like, so if there is a design change,
they have to come back and check with us to
make sure they're receiving an authentic degree
from someone who's applied for a job or whatever.
In the last couple of years we did change
some of the gothic fonts to one that has a
more suitable lettering style, because people
were getting confused with certain "u's" looking
like "b's" and such.
It is pretty significant when you're going
through this that, for me it's just a couple
seconds to pass through the computer someone's
name and degree, but when you do consider
all the amount of hard work that's gone into
it, and the years and years of education,
it is pretty amazing, and sometimes noticing
someone's name is pretty cool too.
I often find myself around town at doctors'
offices or whatnot and I see degrees on the
wall, and I look at the year of the degree
and I often know that it's one that I've done
personally so, that's pretty awesome when
that happens.
