media release
´óÏó´«Ã½ celebrates spring convocation this week
´óÏó´«Ã½ students ready to graduate this spring will celebrate the completion of their degrees during ceremonies from June 7-10 at ´óÏó´«Ã½â€™s Burnaby campus.
´óÏó´«Ã½ returned to in-person convocation ceremonies last fall, and in May, held a special convocation event on campus to recognize those who participated in virtual ceremonies due to the pandemic.
This spring, nearly 5,000 students are eligible to graduate. will start at 9:45 am and 2:30 pm on each day, beginning with graduands participating in the colorful and traditional ´óÏó´«Ã½ Pipe Band-led procession down the steps into Convocation Mall.
The ceremonies will also see honorary degrees bestowed on seven distinguished individuals – beginning on Tuesday, June 7 (9:45 am) with former ´óÏó´«Ã½ president Andrew Petter, for his lifetime of service to the province and leadership in academia, law and politics. See more on recipients
Honorary degrees will also be conferred on:
- Humanitarian Dr. James Chi Ming Pau, June 7 (2:30 pm)
- Author/publisher Alan Twigg, June 8 (9:45 am)
- Conservationists/photographers Christina Mittermeier and Paul Nicklen, June 9 (9:45 am)
- Health care leader and former BC deputy health minister Dr. Penny Ballem, June 9 (2:30 pm)
- Heritage consultant and B.C. transportation historian Robert Turner, June 10 (2:30 pm)
Ceremonies will recognize graduands in the following faculties:
Arts and Social Sciences, June 7 (both ceremonies), June 8 (9:45 am)
Business, June 8 (2:30 pm)
Applied Sciences, June 9 (2:30 pm)
Science, June 9 (9:45 am)
Health Sciences, June 9 (2:30 pm)
Communication, Arts & Technology, June 10 (9:45 am)
Education, June 10 (2:30 pm)
Environment, June 10 (2:30 pm)
Media are welcome to attend. Please contact ´óÏó´«Ã½â€™s Communications & Marketing office to arrange parking and accreditation.
- Ceremonies are about 1 ½ hours in length and begin with speeches by Chancellor Tamara Vrooman and ´óÏó´«Ã½ President Joy Johnson. The honorary degree is then conferred (about 20 minutes into the ceremony) followed by the recipient’s speech. After a class valedictorian address, the formal procession of graduands across the stage follows.
CONTACT
MELISSA SHAW, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Communications & Marketing
236.880.3297 | melissa_shaw@sfu.ca
´óÏó´«Ã½
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778.782.3210
ABOUT SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
As Canada’s engaged university, ´óÏó´«Ã½ works with communities, organizations and partners to create, share and embrace knowledge that improves life and generates real change. We deliver a world-class education with lifelong value that shapes change-makers, visionaries and problem-solvers. We connect research and innovation to entrepreneurship and industry to deliver sustainable, relevant solutions to today’s problems. With campuses in British Columbia’s three largest cities—Vancouver, Burnaby and Surrey—´óÏó´«Ã½ has eight faculties that deliver 193 undergraduate degree programs and 144 graduate degree programs to more than 37,000 students. The university now boasts more than 170,000 alumni residing in 145+ countries.