RECENT HONORARY DEGREE RECIPIENTS

Ceremony D | Wednesday, October 6, 2:30 p.m. Dr. John Borrows Doctor of Laws, honoris causa

Dr. John Borrows is a leading authority on Indigenous, constitutional and environmental law whose scholarship is having a transformative impact on reconciliation efforts in Canada and around the world. Borrows, a member of the Chippewa of the Nawash First Nation in Ontario, holds the Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Law at the University of Victoria (UVIC) Law School. Among his accomplishments, which include a dozen books on Indigenous law, treaties and land claims, Borrows co-founded the world’s first Indigenous law degree in 2018 at UVIC. He secured provincial funding to support the program and federal funding to establish a National Centre for Indigenous Law & Reconciliation. Borrows is a fellow with the Trudeau Foundation and with the Royal Society of Canada and is the recipient of several honorary degrees. The degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, was conferred on Dr. Borrows on Thursday, June 11, 2020 at the Virtual Convocation ceremony.

Ceremony G | Friday, October 8, 10:00 a.m. Dr. Herb (Jay) James Doctor of Laws, honoris causa

Dr. Herb M. James is an international foundation executive, philanthropist and an SFU charter student, who, for more than half a century, has helped improve the lives of thousands of deaf and hearing-impaired children around the world through his better hearing/better health programs. As president and founder of the International Sound Foundation (ISF), James works with volunteer physicians and nurses to offer free hearing screening and basic medical procedures, including ear surgeries, in 10 developing countries. Battling deafness as a teen, James received life-changing ear surgery in Sweden that, at the time, was unavailable elsewhere. After reading about a new audio test unit for pre-school children, James purchased one of the units and lent it free to the B.C. government. Eventually he bought dozens for developing countries through the ISF Better Hearing-Better Life program, which has helped thousands of children hear again. His foundation also collects and refurbishes operational hearing aids, which it distributes free to people in need. The degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, was conferred on Dr. James on Monday, June 21, 2021 at the Virtual Convocation ceremony.

Ceremony B | Tuesday, October 5, 2:30 p.m. The Honourable Dr. Wally Oppal Doctor of Laws, honoris causa

A former judge and attorney general, The Honourable Dr. Wally Oppal has made significant contributions to B.C.’s justice system. He has spent most of his working life fighting for community safety and justice for society’s most vulnerable and has led high-profile public commissions into missing women and policing in B.C. In 1981, after a decade in criminal law, Oppal became the first judge of Indian heritage outside India. He left the B.C. Court of Appeal in 2005, and was elected to the Legislative Assembly of B.C., serving as the province’s Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Multiculturalism. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Order of B.C. and recently served as Chancellor of Thompson Rivers University. Oppal also co-chaired the SFU India Advisory Council.

The degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, was conferred on the Honourable Dr. Oppal on Monday, June 21, 2021 at the Virtual Convocation ceremony.

Graduand speakers were selected by the faculties and the registrar based on student achievement and extracurricular involvement.

Ceremony A Mizuki Giffin, BA World Literature and English Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Mizuki Giffin is graduating with an Honours degree in World Literature and a minor in English. Her thesis examines representations of small animals in select Ainu Oral Stories. At SFU, Mizuki served as president of the World Languages and Literatures Student Union, producer of the World Literature Student Conference, and co-communications coordinator for The Lyre Magazine. She was also a FASS engagement programming assistant, and volunteered with the Student Learning Commons as a peer tutor. Mizuki received the Caledonia Award in World Literature, the Mike McIntosh Library Undergraduate Award, and the Robert C. Brown Award. She now works at the UBCO Library in her hometown of Kelowna, and plans to pursue a Masters in Library and Information Sciences.

Ceremony B Yi Chen (Jennifer) Chou, BA Psychology Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Jennifer Chen is graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a minor in Publishing. Since first year, she has been part of the FASS Mentorship Program where she was empowered to give back to her community. As an advocate for student well-being, Jennifer worked to improve accessibility and mental health supports at SFU. By taking on leadership positions within campus organizations like the Simon Fraser Student Society, SFU Disability and Neurodiversity Alliance, and SFU Knitting Club, Jennifer had the opportunity to create memorable experiences for others. She has also hosted skills-based workshops with Emerge SFU to help students learn design software. In the future, she hopes to inspire others to create more supportive and inclusive communities.

Ceremony C Hettipathirenne (Janmie) Gunawardena, BA Political Science Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Janmie Gunawardena is graduating with an Honours degree in Political Science and Communications; her research focussed on far-right political parties in Britain. As a two-time President’s Honour Roll and seventime Dean’s Honour Roll student, she is a proud member of the SFU community. She worked as a research assistant in the Department of Criminology and volunteered as a senior community leader with the Global Connections program. A recipient of the Gordon M. Shrum Major Entrance Scholarship, Janmie participated in SFU’s Co-op program, completing three work-terms with the Government of Canada. With her work experience and academic background in national security, Janmie hopes to pursue a career as a policy analyst and a Masters in International Relations.

Ceremony D Mavis Lum, BBA Human Resources and Management Information Systems Beedie School of Business

Mavis Lum is graduating from the Beedie School of Business with concentrations in Human Resources and Management Information Systems. With a passion for developing others, Mavis led several student initiatives in the SFU community. Most notably, Mavis was the internal chair of the JDC West competition, hosted at SFU in 2019 and attended by more than 1,200 participants. As well, Mavis mentored first year students, planned the Pathways Career Conference, and was a LAUNCH leader. She is extremely grateful for the mentors and staff at Beedie who guided her during her undergraduate career. Mavis now works on the Talent Management team at Teck Resources, where she supports world-class employee development programs and the company’s HR technology transformation.