SACKVILLE, NB — Approximately 425 students will graduate during Mount Allison University’s 2024 Spring Convocation ceremonies happening Monday, May 13 in Convocation Hall.

Commerce and Science graduates will receive their degrees during the morning ceremony beginning at 9:30 a.m. and Arts, Fine Arts, and Music students will graduate in the afternoon ceremony at 2:30 p.m.

Mount Allison University Chancellor Lynn Loewen and Interim President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Robert MacKinnon will preside over the ceremonies.

Mount Allison will also recognize four distinguished Canadians, all of whom are esteemed alumni, by conferring honorary doctorates at the ceremonies. Honorary degrees are awarded to those who are nationally or internationally recognized in their fields, those who have demonstrated service to Mount Allison or the wider community, or prominent public persons. 

The 2024 recipients include: 

• Jane Craighead (‘80), Canadian business leader, philanthropist, former vice-chair of the Mount Allison Board of Regents
• Alex Fancy (‘61), Professor Emeritus, Founder and Director of Tintamarre, 3M National Teaching Fellow
• The Honourable J. Michael MacDonald (‘76), the 22^nd Chief Justice of Nova Scotia; Counsel, Stewart McKelvey 
• David Myles (‘03), Canadian songwriter and musician, two-time JUNO winner 

For biographies on this year’s honorary degree recipients, as well as a full list of past recipients, visit mta.ca/honorarydegrees.

“We are delighted to celebrate the achievements of our Class of 2024 graduates and to welcome four dedicated and visionary individuals into the Mount Allison community as honorary degree recipients. It will be a special day at Mount Allison and my favourite of the year,” says Interim President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Robert MacKinnon.

Honours biochemistry graduate Ellie Smallwood of Miramichi, NB has been selected by the Class of 2024 as Valedictorian. 

Several Mount Allison faculty members will also be recognized during Convocation ceremonies. Dr. Andrea Morash from biology is the recipient of this year’s Tucker Teaching Award, one of the University’s highest teaching honours. Chemistry and biochemistry professor Dr. Tyson MacCormack will receive the 2024 Paul Paré Medal of Excellence, awarded annually to a faculty member at Mount Allison University who has best exemplified outstanding teaching, research, scholarship, and/or creative activities, and who has an exemplary record of service.  

Several events will be held on campus for graduates and their families throughout the weekend, including the ‘If I could turn back time...Grad Ball’ on Saturday, May 11. This event serves as a celebration for graduates who did not have a high school prom due to the global pandemic in 2020. 

Both Convocation ceremonies will also be live streamed. For more information, including a full schedule of Convocation events, please visit mta.ca/convocation.