Spring Convocation 2026 St. John's

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TERRITORY

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

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St. John’s

We acknowledge that the lands on which Memorial University’s campuses are situated are in the traditional territories of diverse Indigenous groups, and we acknowledge with respect the diverse histories and cultures of the Beothuk, Mi’kmaq, Innu, and Inuit of this province.

WHY WE DO TERRITORY ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

It is an Indigenous practice to acknowledge the land and territory that you are on. When Indigenous Peoples visited other Indigenous Peoples, they acknowledged their territories.

Land is sacred to Indigenous Peoples, and ways of being and knowing come from the land. Land acknowledgements recognize the unique and enduring relationship that exists between Indigenous Peoples and their traditional territories. They are a way to recognize and respect the original peoples of the territory upon which the university is situated. Land acknowledgements are a way to share space with Indigenous Peoples and a reminder of the generosity of Indigenous Peoples for sharing the land with visitors.

MEMORIAL’S

MISSION

Memorial University is an inclusive community dedicated to innovation and excellence in teaching and learning, research, scholarship, creative activity, service and public engagement.

Memorial welcomes and supports students and scholars from all over the world and contributes knowledge and expertise locally, nationally and internationally.

For more information on important initiatives at Memorial, visit the Office of the President at mun.ca/president.

SHARE YOUR CONVOCATION CONGRATULATIONS Share your photos, student successes and special moments with #MUNgrad2026 Join the celebration by following Memorial University on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

OFFICIAL VISITOR TO THE UNIVERSITY Joan Marie J. Aylward, ONL, BN, RN, ICDD Lieutenant-governor of Newfoundland and Labrador

SPRING CONVOCATION S T.

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PRESIDING OFFICERS Earl A. Ludlow ONL, B.Eng., MBA, P.Eng. Chancellor Janet Morrison BA, MA, PhD President and vice-chancellor Jennifer Lokash BA, PhD Provost and vice-president (academic) and pro vice-chancellor

UNIVERSITY MARSHAL Kirby Shannahan B.Sc., MA, PhD

MARSHALS

Lindsay Alcock BA, MLIS Alyson Byrne BA, B.Comm.(Co-op.)(Hons.), M.Sc., PhD Yuri Gidge B.Sc.(Hons.)

Brian Hammond BA(Hons.)

Shona Perry-Maidment BA, B.Ed., M.Ed. Travis Myers B.Sc., M.Ed. Carolyn O’Keefe B.Comm.(Co-op.), BA, M.Ed. James Price B.Comm., MER Andrea Stapleton BBA, BA(Hons.), PhD

UNIVERSITY REGISTRAR Lee Ann McKivor BA, M.Ed., EdD

PUBLIC ORATOR

Jennifer Lokash BA, PhD

DEPUTY PUBLIC ORATOR Annette Staveley BA(Hons.), MA, PhD

MACE BEARERS Michelle Mercer BA, B.Ed., M.Ed. Blair Rodgers B.Comm., CD Zaren Healey White BA(Hons.), MA, MGS

ORGANIST

David Buley BA, B.Ed., M.Mus., M.Phil., PhD

PERFORMERS

De La Paz Latin Quintet Hot Club of Conception Bay Maggie Furey Matthew Byrne MUN Opera Workshop Performers

Nishanthprakash Nemalikanti and Shehan Gunasena Octatonic Decadence St. John’s Mi’kmaq Women’s Circle Tide Quartet William Massey

MUSIC CO-ORDINATOR Julia Halfyard B.Mus., M.Mus., PhD

While most students receiving their degrees at this session completed their programs of study in St. John’s, some completed programs offered at other campuses.

For the purposes of publicly celebrating the success of our students and updating university marketing materials, Memorial University’s photographers will take photos of the convocation ceremony and capture various candid shots. If you have any questions regarding this activity, please contact convocation@mun.ca.

UNIVERSITY OFFICIALS

Dr. Anne-Marie Sullivan Dean, School of Human Kinetics and Recreation

Other university officials participating in convocation ceremonies may include the following:

Dr. Natasha Hurley Dean, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Justin Ladha Chair, Board of Regents

Dr. Dianne Keeping Dean, Memorial University Libraries

Dr. Tana Allen Vice-president (research and innovation) pro tempore

Dr. Stuart Carney Dean, Faculty of Medicine

Alison Horton Vice-president (finance and administration)

Dr. Karen Bulmer Dean, School of Music

Dr. Paul Brett Deputy provost (Marine Institute)(interim) and executive director (professional and continuing education)

Dr. April Pike Dean, Faculty of Nursing

Dr. Shawn Bugden Dr. Ken Jacobsen Dean, School of Pharmacy Deputy provost (Grenfell and Labrador campuses)(interim) Dr. James Gauld Dr. Amy Warren Dean, Faculty of Science Deputy provost and dean of graduate studies Dr. Robert Scott Kevin Anderson Dean, School of Science and the Environment (Grenfell Campus) Associate vice-president (Marine Institute) administration (interim) and finance (interim) and associate vice-president (Marine Dr. Sulaimon Giwa Institute) research and strategic partnerships (interim) Dean, School of Social Work (interim) Dr. Christine Arnold Associate vice-president (academic) and dean of students Cpt. Fred Anstey Head, School of Maritime Studies (Marine Institute) Dr. Angie Clarke Joe Singleton Associate vice-president (Marine Institute) academic and Head, School of Ocean Technology (Marine Institute) student affairs Ed Durnford Rayna Luther Head, School of Fisheries (Marine Institute)(interim) Associate vice-president (facilities) Dr. Dennis Peters Associate vice-president (academic)(interim) Alison Randell Chief information officer Dr. Rod Russell Associate vice-president (research and innovation) (interim) Scott Bishop Associate vice-president (finance) and chief financial officer Emily Wooley Associate vice-president (people and culture)(interim) Dr. Travor Brown Dean, Faculty of Business Administration Dr. Pamela Osmond-Johnson Dean, Faculty of Education Dr. Bing Chen Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science (interim) Dr. Scott Neilsen Dean, School of Arctic and Subarctic Studies (Labrador Campus)(interim) Dr. Julie Pitcher-Giles Dean, School of Arts and Social Sciences (Grenfell Campus)(interim) Dr. Peter Ride Dean, School of Fine Arts (Grenfell Campus)

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UNIVERSITY PROCESSION The university procession heralds convocation, the most significant gathering of the university community. The university procession will enter the hall at 10 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. The audience is requested to stand while the procession enters and leaves the hall, during the anthem and at other times as noted by the presiding officer.

While the order and composition of the procession generally remains the same for each session of convocation, certain officials may not attend all ceremonies. Entering the stage, the procession may include the following: Marshals Graduands Faculty and staff Indigenous representatives Members of the Board of Regents Professores emeriti Honorary graduand(s) University marshal Student leaders Orator Secretary of Senate and university registrar Campus registrar Deputy registrar

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Deans Associate deans Associate vice-presidents Heads of colleague institutions Deputy provosts Vice-presidents Provincial government cabinet representatives Chair, Board of Regents President and vice-chancellor Mace bearer Chancellor Lieutenant-governor, the official visitor to Memorial University

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ORDER OF PROCEEDINGS | Tuesday, May 26, at 10 a.m.

PROCESSIONAL ANTHEM O Canada THE CHANCELLOR WILL DECLARE CONVOCATION OPEN TERRITORY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT REMARKS TO CONVOCATION CONFERRING OF UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES The registrar will present the candidates The chancellor will confer the degrees The appropriate dean, the chancellor and the president will acknowledge the graduates PERFORMANCE BY Matthew Byrne PRESENTATION OF HONORARY GRADUAND Lisa Moore, university orator CONFERRING OF HONORARY DEGREE UPON Jean Claude Roy The degree of doctor of laws DR. JEAN CLAUDE ROY WILL SIGN THE REGISTER AND ADDRESS CONVOCATION THE CHANCELLOR WILL DECLARE CONVOCATION CLOSED ANTHEM Ode to Newfoundland RECESSIONAL

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ORDER OF PROCEEDINGS | Tuesday, May 26, at 3 p.m.

PROCESSIONAL ANTHEM O Canada THE CHANCELLOR WILL DECLARE CONVOCATION OPEN TERRITORY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT REMARKS TO CONVOCATION CONFERRING OF UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES The registrar will present the candidates The chancellor will confer the degrees The appropriate dean, the chancellor and the president will acknowledge the graduates CONFERRING OF GRADUATE DEGREES The registrar will present the candidates The chancellor will confer the degrees The deputy provost and dean of graduate studies, the chancellor and the president will acknowledge the graduates PERFORMANCE BY Nishanthprakash Nemalikanti and Shehan Gunasena THE CHANCELLOR WILL DECLARE CONVOCATION CLOSED ANTHEM Ode to Newfoundland RECESSIONAL

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ORDER OF PROCEEDINGS | Wednesday, May 27, at 10 a.m.

PROCESSIONAL ANTHEM O Canada THE CHANCELLOR WILL DECLARE CONVOCATION OPEN TERRITORY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT REMARKS TO CONVOCATION CONFERRING OF UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES The registrar will present the candidates The chancellor will confer the degrees The appropriate dean, the chancellor and the president will acknowledge the graduates PERFORMANCE BY Octatonic Decadence THE CHANCELLOR WILL DECLARE CONVOCATION CLOSED ANTHEM Ode to Newfoundland RECESSIONAL

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ORDER OF PROCEEDINGS | Wednesday, May 27, at 3 p.m.

PROCESSIONAL ROYAL SALUTE THE CHANCELLOR WILL DECLARE CONVOCATION OPEN TERRITORY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT REMARKS TO CONVOCATION CONFERRING OF UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES The registrar will present the candidates The chancellor will confer the degrees The appropriate dean, the chancellor and the president will acknowledge the graduates CONFERRING OF GRADUATE DEGREES The registrar will present the candidates The chancellor will confer the degrees The deputy provost and dean of graduate studies, the chancellor and the president will acknowledge the graduates PERFORMANCE BY Maggie Furey PRESENTATION OF HONORARY GRADUAND Annette Staveley, deputy public orator CONFERRING OF HONORARY DEGREE UPON George Furey The degree of doctor of laws DR. GEORGE FUREY WILL SIGN THE REGISTER AND ADDRESS CONVOCATION THE CHANCELLOR WILL DECLARE CONVOCATION CLOSED ANTHEM Ode to Newfoundland RECESSIONAL

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ORDER OF PROCEEDINGS | Wednesday, May 27, at 7 p.m.

PROCESSIONAL ANTHEM O Canada THE CHANCELLOR WILL DECLARE CONVOCATION OPEN TERRITORY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT REMARKS TO CONVOCATION CONFERRING OF UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES The registrar will present the candidates The chancellor will confer the degrees The appropriate dean, the chancellor and the president will acknowledge the graduates CONFERRING OF GRADUATE DEGREES The registrar will present the candidates The chancellor will confer the degrees The deputy provost and dean of graduate studies, the chancellor and the president will acknowledge the graduates PERFORMANCE BY William Massey THE CHANCELLOR WILL DECLARE CONVOCATION CLOSED ANTHEM Ode to Newfoundland RECESSIONAL

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ORDER OF PROCEEDINGS | Thursday, May 28, at 10 a.m.

PROCESSIONAL ROYAL SALUTE THE CHANCELLOR WILL DECLARE CONVOCATION OPEN TERRITORY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT REMARKS TO CONVOCATION CONFERRING OF UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES The registrar will present the candidates The chancellor will confer the degrees The appropriate dean, the chancellor and the president will acknowledge the graduates CONFERRING OF GRADUATE DEGREES The registrar will present the candidates The chancellor will confer the degrees The deputy provost and dean of graduate studies, the chancellor and the president will acknowledge the graduates MUSICAL SHARING BY St. John’s Mi’kmaq Women’s Circle PRESENTATION OF HONORARY GRADUAND Jennifer Lokash, public orator CONFERRING OF HONORARY DEGREE UPON Cst. Georgina Short The degree of doctor of laws DR. GEORGINA SHORT WILL SIGN THE REGISTER AND ADDRESS CONVOCATION THE CHANCELLOR WILL DECLARE CONVOCATION CLOSED ANTHEM Ode to Newfoundland RECESSIONAL

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ORDER OF PROCEEDINGS | Thursday, May 28, at 3 p.m.

PROCESSIONAL ANTHEM O Canada THE CHANCELLOR WILL DECLARE CONVOCATION OPEN TERRITORY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT REMARKS TO CONVOCATION CONFERRING OF UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES The registrar will present the candidates The chancellor will confer the degrees The appropriate dean, the chancellor and the president will acknowledge the graduates CONFERRING OF GRADUATE DEGREES The registrar will present the candidates The chancellor will confer the degrees The deputy provost and dean of graduate studies, the chancellor and the president will acknowledge the graduates PERFORMANCE BY MUN Opera Workshop Performers THE CHANCELLOR WILL DECLARE CONVOCATION CLOSED ANTHEM Ode to Newfoundland RECESSIONAL

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ORDER OF PROCEEDINGS | Friday, May 29, at 10 a.m.

PROCESSIONAL ANTHEM O Canada THE CHANCELLOR WILL DECLARE CONVOCATION OPEN TERRITORY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT REMARKS TO CONVOCATION CONFERRING OF UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES The registrar will present the candidates The chancellor will confer the degrees The appropriate dean, the chancellor and the president will acknowledge the graduates PERFORMANCE BY The Hot Club of Conception Bay PRESENTATION OF PROFESSOR EMERITA BY Jennifer Lokash, provost and vice-president (academic) and pro vice-chancellor to Alice Gaudine THE CHANCELLOR WILL DECLARE CONVOCATION CLOSED ANTHEM Ode to Newfoundland RECESSIONAL

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ORDER OF PROCEEDINGS | Friday, May 29, at 3 p.m.

PROCESSIONAL ANTHEM O Canada THE CHANCELLOR WILL DECLARE CONVOCATION OPEN TERRITORY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT REMARKS TO CONVOCATION CONFERRING OF UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES The registrar will present the candidates The chancellor will confer the degrees The appropriate dean, the chancellor and the president will acknowledge the graduates CONFERRING OF GRADUATE DEGREES The registrar will present the candidates The chancellor will confer the degrees The deputy provost and dean of graduate studies, the chancellor and the president will acknowledge the graduates PERFORMANCE BY Tide Quartet PRESENTATION OF HONORARY GRADUAND Jennifer Lokash, public orator CONFERRING OF HONORARY DEGREE UPON Alan Doyle The degree of doctor of letters DR. ALAN DOYLE WILL SIGN THE REGISTER AND ADDRESS CONVOCATION THE CHANCELLOR WILL DECLARE CONVOCATION CLOSED ANTHEM Ode to Newfoundland RECESSIONAL

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HONORARY DEGREES Candidates for honorary degrees may be nominated by any member of the community to the Senate Committee on Honorary Degrees and Ceremonial which, after due consideration, forwards its recommendations to Senate for approval.

Honorary degree recipients have achieved eminence in learning or in the arts; distinguished themselves by outstanding public service; or contributed in a meaningful way towards the betterment of Memorial University.

ALAN DOYLE Alan Doyle was born in Petty Harbour, N.L. His many and diverse impacts on the culture, identity and reputation of this province have been immeasurable.

While a Memorial University student completing his BA in English, he and his friends formed Great Big Sea, which would become one of Canada’s and certainly Newfoundland and Labrador’s most successful bands.

As an energetic and authentic front man, he has been uniquely capable of inspiring fans to fall in love with his romantic and rousing portrayals of our province. He tours internationally, selling out venues to enthusiastic fans, many of them likely homesick ex-patriates.

Mr. Doyle has also performed on and for the stage and in television and film. He acted in Robin Hood, A Winter’s Tale, Republic of Doyle, Murdoch Mysteries and others. He has written musical scores for shows such as Law and Order, Son of a Critch and Heartland. On stage he is the star and co-creator of the box office-breaking musical comedy, Tell Tale Harbour.

An exceptional writer, Mr. Doyle has published four best-selling books, Where I Belong, A Newfoundlander in Canada, All Together Now and The Smiling Land.

Whether through music or writing, his yarns make one yearn for and reflect

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upon our shores, the fishing industry, our struggles, our joys, our sadness and our unending pride for our people, land and great big sea.

He is a member of the Order of Canada, a member of the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador and is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.

For raising up audiences from Petty Harbour to the world, and for being one of Newfoundland and Labrador’s best and proudest cultural ambassadors, Alan Doyle will receive the degree of doctor of letters, honoris causa.

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GEORGE FUREY George Furey was born in St. John’s, N.L. Mr. Furey has passionately served his fellow Canadians through his long and varied career as an educator, public servant and as the first speaker of the Senate of Canada to hail from Newfoundland and Labrador.

A Memorial University alumnus, he earned a BA and a BA(Ed.) in 1970 and an M.Ed. in 1976.

He had a varied educational background, serving as a teacher in St. John’s Roman Catholic school board, a vice-principal in Stephenville Port-aux-Port school board and a principal in the Placencia-St. Mary’s school board.

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Pivoting away from education, he completed a bachelor of law degree from Dalhousie University in 1983.

As a young lawyer, Mr. Furey successfully challenged the Criminal Code’s language on sexual assault and proved that with the advent of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, certain Criminal Code provisions were unconstitutional.

In 1996, he was appointed Queen’s Council and in 1999 he was named to the Senate of Canada by then-prime minister Jean Chrétien. In 2023, on the day of his retirement, he was appointed to the King’s Privy Council.

As a senator, he served on various committees, including as chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Legal

and Constitutional Affairs and chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration. He served as speaker of the Senate from 2015 until his retirement in 2023. During his tenure as speaker, the Senate began a period of significant Senate reform.

A widely respected member of the community, he has served in leadership and volunteer positions on a number of provincial boards and associations.

For his exceptional and deeply impactful career in public service, George Furey will receive the degree of doctor of laws, honoris causa.

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JEAN CLAUDE ROY Jean Claude Roy was born in Rochefort sur Mer, France, in 1948.

The prolific, mostly self-taught and widely acclaimed artist graduated from the Lycée Technique de Saintes in 1966. He then attended merchant marine training, taking a job as an electrician on a cable repair boat.

His work took him frequently to the port of St. John’s. He moved to the city in 1971, where he developed an interest in landscape painting and a deep and abiding love for the province and its people.

Mr. Roy eventually began painting full-time. He made his first sale in 1973, had his first group exhibition in 1974 and his first solo show in 1975.

More exhibitions followed, including two solo shows at the Memorial University Art Gallery in 1978 and 1981.

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He describes his style as expressionist-colourist and paints almost exclusively outdoors, every day. His signature sun is an important part of the composition of every work.

With many international exhibitions to his credit, Mr. Roy has also produced two books, Fluctuat Nec Mergitur, which includes a painting of every community on the island of Newfoundland, and Terra Magna, which depicts the landscapes of Labrador.

He taught Inuit youth at Torngat Mountains National Park, resulting in a mural at Torngat Mountains Basecamp and since 2013 he has been involved in fundraising efforts with the Battle Harbour Historic Trust. Mr. Roy has been involved in several preservation projects as well. A collaboration with the French

Shore Historical Society of Conche produced the 220-foot-long French Shore Tapestry.

He was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Medal in 2012 and was awarded the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador in 2023.

For the gift of his immense talent and prolific art, and for his legacy of observing, capturing and celebrating Newfoundland and Labrador’s rich geography and cultural heritage, Jean Claude Roy will receive the degree of doctor of laws, honoris causa.

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CST. GEORGINA SHORT Cst. Georgina Short was born in Stephenville, N.L. Cst. Short has been with the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary for 38 years. In addition to being the longest-serving woman on the provincial police service, she was also among the first openly LGBTQ+ officers.

Her leadership has been marked by a commitment to community-based policing through engagement and work to increase trust between law enforcement and marginalized communities.

She is a recipient of the Police Exemplary Service Bar for loyal and meritorious service to law enforcement in Canada.

Outside of her career, she is known for her significant voluntary contributions, including as a dedicated member of the St. John’s Ambulance Therapy Dog Program.

On a weekly basis, Ms. Short and her beloved Shih Tzus visit seniors in long-term care facilities, patients in hospitals, students at Memorial University and other educational facilities for the benefit of others. Ms. Short is also an active volunteer with NL Health Services’ Palliative Care Unit.

Cst. Short has been recognized provincially and nationally for not only volunteering her time but also helping organizations reach fundraising milestones. She is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II

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Golden and Diamond Jubilee Medals and the King Charles III Coronation Medal. She received the highest honour of St. John Ambulance and was appointed The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem (The Order of St. John) to the grade of serving member. In addition, she is an aide-de-camp to the lieutenant-governor of Newfoundland and Labrador.

For embodying the values of compassionate service and leadership through a career in law enforcement and for her unwavering commitment to equity and inclusion in her life and her work, Georgina Short will receive the degree of doctor of laws, honoris causa.

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EMERITUS APPOINTMENTS A professor emeritus or emerita is a retired member of the faculty who has served at least 10 years as a full-time faculty member and held the rank of professor upon retirement. The prime criteria for nomination are a sustained and superlative record as a scholar, as a teacher or as an academic administrator or any combination of these.

Candidates for the rank of professor emeritus or emerita are nominated by their academic unit and, as with candidates for honorary degrees, the nominations are then reviewed by the Senate’s Committee on Honorary Degrees and Ceremonial. Having reviewed the nominations, the committee forwards its recommendations to the university’s Senate and then to the Board of Regents for consideration.

The professor emerita being presented at spring convocation 2026 in St. John’s:

DR. ALICE GAUDINE

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ACADEMIC DRESS The academic dress of the university’s matriculated undergraduates shall be similar to the University of Oxford’s scholar’s gown. It shall be worn whenever the president so directs.

be edged with silk in the distinctive colour of the faculty or degree. However, the doctor of philosophy hood shall be of claret silk and lined and edged with claret silk.

The bachelor’s gown shall be of black stuff. The master’s gown shall be of black stuff or silk. The doctor’s gown shall be of fine scarlet cloth or silk or of black stuff or silk.

The university hood, designed to be worn by Memorial representatives who hold a degree and who are participating in official ceremonies, shall be made of black stuff and lined and edged with claret and white silk.

The pattern of the bachelor’s gown shall be similar to that of the Oxford bachelor’s gown. The pattern of the master’s gown and the doctor’s gown shall be similar to that of the Oxford master’s gown, except that the doctor’s gown shall have an edging of black silk braid at the opening of the sleeve. The doctor’s scarlet gown shall be similar to that of the Oxford doctor of divinity gown.

The bachelor’s hood shall be made of black stuff, the master’s hood of black silk and the doctor’s hood of scarlet silk. They shall be full in shape and lined with the university colours of claret and white. The bachelor’s hood shall be trimmed with white fur and the tippet with velvet in the distinctive colour of the faculty or degree. The master’s hood and tippet shall be edged with velvet in the distinctive colour of the faculty or degree. The doctor’s hood and tippet shall

The bachelor’s and master’s cap shall be black and square, with a black tassel. The doctor’s cap shall be similar to the Oxford doctor’s bonnet.

The academic dress for the officers of the university shall be as follows: Chancellor – a silk gown heavily embroidered with gold braid Vice-chancellor – a silk gown embroidered with gold braid Pro vice-chancellor – a silk gown embroidered with gold braid University registrar and other officers of the university – gowns of a pattern approved by Senate

DISTINCTIVE DEGREE COLOURS BA, BA(Hons.), IBA, MA, MAEP, MGS, MALA BBA, BBA(Hons.), B.Comm., B.Comm.(Co-op.), B.Comm.(Hons.), B.Comm.(Hons.)(Co-op.), IBBA, IBBA(Hons.), MBA, MBA(SEE), MScM B.Ed., B.Ed.(Intermediate/Secondary), B.Ed.(Post-secondary), B.Ed.(Primary/Elementary), B.Mus.Ed., B.Sp.Ed., M.Ed. B.Eng., M.Eng. BFA(Theatre), BFA(Visual Arts), MFA B.Kin., B.Kin.(Co-op.), B.Kin.(Hons.), B.Kin.(Co-op.)(Hons.), BPE, BPE(Hons.), B.Rec., B.Rec.(Hons.), BHKR(Co-op.), BHKR(Co-op.)(Hons.), MHKR, MPE, M.Sc.(Kinesiology) BMS, B.Tech., MAOT, MMS, MTM, MMM, M.Sc.(Maritime Studies), M.Sc.(Fisheries Science) B.Mus., B.Mus.(Hons.), M.Mus. BScN, MScN, MN BES B.Sc., MAS, M.A.Sc., M.Env.Sc., M.Sc., M.Sc.(BEAS), MAPS(Co-op.), M.D.Sc., MAI, MAG PharmD, M.Sc.(Pharmacy) BSW, MSW MD MPH, M.Sc.(Medicine), MHE MER, M.A.Ed.(EFLC), MOHS M.Phil., PsyD, PhD BASIS, MASF

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WHITE TAN LIGHT BLUE ORANGE AMETHYST SAGE GREEN NAVY BLUE PINK CORAL CITRON GOLD CLOVER RUBY GEM FOREST GREEN HUNTER GREEN CHOCOLATE BROWN CLARET TURQUOISE

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HISTORY OF CONVOCATION In June of 1950, Memorial University held its first convocation, which was a fairly simple affair. Led by engineering professor Dr. Jack Facey (who would later perform the role of convocation marshal for 46 years), the students and faculty moved from the Parade Street campus across to St. Patrick’s School hall for the conferring of undergraduate degrees. The university presented its first graduate degrees in May 1956 and its first honorary degree in May 1960.

The ceremony for the first honorary degree, presented to Monnie Mansfield, who had been Memorial’s registrar for 30 years, served as a dress rehearsal for the most elaborate convocation the university has ever held — that for the opening of the Elizabeth Avenue campus in October 1961. Overseeing the arrangements were Dr. Facey as the marshal of convocation, responsible for the organization, direction and decorum of the occasion, and Dr. G.M. Story as the public orator, responsible for the delivery of the orations about the honorary graduands, a special feature of Memorial’s convocations. Nineteen honorary degrees were conferred on a galaxy of local, national and international dignitaries. That day, the public orator and his deputy each had to deliver as many as 10 orations, each a concise and rhetorically lively account of the rationale for conferring the degree.

From 1961 to 1968, convocation was held in the gymnasium of the Physical Education building. With the opening of the St. John’s Arts and Culture Centre, Memorial in effect acquired a new convocation hall, which became the regular site of the ceremonies after 1970.

Designed partially on the ideas of former premier Joseph Smallwood, the back of the stage with its descending staircase was developed specifically for Memorial’s convocation. Fall convocation was inaugurated in 1970 to accommodate increasing numbers of graduates and to support the three-semester academic calendar.

In May 1992, 23 graduates received degrees in the first regular session of convocation held at Sir Wilfred Grenfell College, Memorial’s Corner Brook campus (now Grenfell Campus).

The ceremonial trappings of convocation were developed in the early 1960s. Memorial’s academic robes are based on those of Oxford University. Chancellor Lord Thomson donated the silver mace — the symbol of the university’s authority and the presence of which signals the official opening of convocation — in 1961. Former university marshal Bert Riggs donated the marshal’s staff in 2021.

Campbell Macpherson, Newfoundland and Labrador’s third lieutenant-governor, presented the original chancellor’s chair and lectern in 1963. Other complementary birch wood furniture pieces were subsequently commissioned from the St. John’s firm of Clarmanis and Son Ltd.; the chairs bear the university’s

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coat of arms and are hand-carved and painted in bas-relief.

Dr. Facey gifted the signing table to the university in 1996.

In 2002, plans were made to create a second suite of convocation furniture so that a complete set would permanently reside at each of the St. John’s and Corner Brook campuses. Ian Stewart, a retired Memorial University designer, undertook the design of the new suite, which reflects the culture and traditions of the province; Paterson Woodworking of Upper Amherst Cove was commissioned to construct the set. Dr. Edward Roberts, the province’s 11th lieutenant-governor, presented the first piece: a black walnut table with a fish-splitting motif.

Honorary graduate Dr. Alan Perry donated the kneeler in 2005. Dr. Roberts and his brother, Douglas, sponsored the signing table and bench, completed in 2005, as well as the chancellor’s chair and the four companion chairs, which were completed in 2006. They also donated the two speaker’s lecterns, which were completed in 2007. The Roberts’s contribution was made in memory of their father, Dr. Harry D. Roberts, a graduate of Memorial University (‘31), an honorary graduate of Memorial and a member of the Board of Regents for many years.

The desire to share the ceremonies beyond the audience seated in the convocation hall led to television coverage of the ceremonies beginning in the 1970s and, more recently, livestreaming.

Other university units that play a role in convocation include the Office of the Registrar and the School of Graduate Studies, which ensure that students complete their programs and are certified for their degrees; Student Life, which co-ordinates the event logistics and assists the graduands with preparations for the ceremony and its celebrations; Centre for Innovation in Teaching and Learning, which produces the ceremony’s technical elements, including the livestream for friends and families watching at home; the Division of Marketing and Communications, which creates and crafts a celebratory visual identity for convocation materials and promotes and celebrates the event on the university’s channels; and Alumni Engagement, which welcomes and guides graduates into the Memorial University Alumni Association.

Convocation has been a day of pride for thousands of students and more than 600 honorary graduates, resulting in more than 100,000 alumni worldwide. While Memorial’s convocation, as a ceremonial occasion, has grown from the practices and procedures of older universities, after three-quarters of a century it has become a distinctive event for all who attend, be they distinguished guests or faculty, honorary graduates or our students who are, as they should be, the focus of the event.

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Let’s have a long (alumni) engagement!

Welcome to Memorial University’s alumni family!

You’re now part of Memorial’s worldwide web of alumni. Wherever life takes you, we want to be here, cheering you on, professionally and personally.

That’s why we offer you an ever-evolving suite of programs (both online and in person), events (both social and networking), celebrations, exclusive alumni insurance discounts from belairdirect and Manulife and more!

There’s so much more excitement ahead. Make sure your preferred email is up to date so you’re always in the loop and ready for the next big moment.

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