Mount Allison University will return to in-person Convocation celebrations for 2022 after two years of online ceremonies. Three ceremonies will take place on campus May 15 and 16. The focus is on delivering a safe and successful graduation experience for all, including the Classes of 2020 and 2021. Masks and proof of vaccination will be required for those attending in-person ceremonies.

“We are excited to welcome our students, recent graduates, faculty, staff, and honoured guests back to Convocation Hall,” says Mount Allison University President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Jean-Paul Boudreau. “Over the past two years, the University community has come together to support one another through the pandemic, and we are pleased to be able to recognize and celebrate this year’s graduates as well as the Classes of 2020 and 2021 in traditional Mount Allison fashion.”

On Sunday, May 15, a Convocation celebration will be held for graduates from the Classes of 2020 and 2021 who wish to return to campus to cross Convocation Hall stage. Over 160 graduates are expected for the ceremony taking place at 2:30 p.m. Valedictorians from 2020 and 2021, Nigel Verret and Angelica Whiteway, will address their respective classes in person.

On Monday, May 16, two ceremonies will be held for the Class of 2022. Science and Commerce graduates will receive their degrees in the morning ceremony, beginning at 9:30 a.m., while Arts, Fine Arts, and Music students will graduate in the afternoon ceremony at 2:30 p.m. Nearly 400 students are expected to graduate that day.

There will be 11 honorary degree recipients recognized over the two days. Recognized as leaders in their fields, this group of individuals were initially announced in 2020 and 2021 and will receive their honours in person this spring. They include:

• Michael de Adder (’91) — Award-winning editorial cartoonist and political cartoonist with The Washington Post and CounterPoint
• Margaret Fancy — Librarian emerita and long-time chair of the J.E.A. Crake Foundation
• Scott McCain (’78) — Business leader, volunteer, and philanthropist
• Robert M. Ogilvie (’67) — Business leader and philanthropist
• Beth Powning — Award-winning author and community leader
• Dr. Bonnie Henry (’86) — Provincial Health Officer for British Columbia
• Pierre Lassonde — Business leader and one of Canada’s most notable patrons of the arts
• The Honourable Dominic A. LeBlanc — Long-time Member of Parliament for the riding of Beauséjour, President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada, and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
• Chief Terry Paul — Chief and CEO of Membertou First Nation, Membertou, NS
• Dr. Jennifer Russell — Chief Medical Officer of Health for New Brunswick
• Annette Verschuren (’78) — Chair and CEO of NRStor Inc and former President of Home Depot Canada

LeBlanc, Fancy, Powning, and McCain will be honoured during the Sunday celebration with Dominic LeBlanc addressing Convocation. Henry, Ogilvie, and Verschuren will attend the Monday morning ceremony, with Dr. Bonnie Henry speaking. Lassonde, deAdder, Russell, and Paul will receive their honorary degrees during the Monday afternoon ceremony with Pierre Lassonde addressing Convocation.

“Our honorary graduates are leaders and innovators in their respective areas,” says Boudreau. “We are delighted to welcome this distinguished group to campus, several of whom are alumni and will be celebrating their second Mount Allison Convocation this spring.”

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.

Biographies of all honorary degree recipients are available online.

New at Mount Allison this year, students identifying as Black, African, or of Black or African descent will have the opportunity to wear a Kente Stole with the colours red (representing ancestors), yellow (representing strength), and green (representing growth). Indigenous students will wear the Mi’kmaw stole, with the eight-point star and double curve symbol.

Hanna Fuzesi has been selected by her peers as the 2022 valedictorian. From Campbellton, NB, she will graduate with an honours degree in biology, minors in biochemistry and psychology, and a certification in the foundations of health. Fuzesi is also the winner of the University’s Don Norton Award for campus and community involvement and leadership. Serving as vice-president, student life for the Mount Allison Students’ Union, Fuzesi has been involved in a number of initiatives over her time at Mount Allison including Health Care Outreach, mental health and harms reduction, and volunteering at the local hospital and nursing home.

Several faculty members will also be recognized for excellence in teaching and research. Psychology professor Dr. Lisa Dawn Hamilton is this year’s recipient of the Herbert and Leota Tucker Teaching Award, while Dr. Karl Hele (Canadian and Indigenous Studies) has received the Paul Paré Medal for Excellence in Research and Creative Activity. Dr. Susan Andrews (Religious Studies), Dr. Ilaria Battiloro (Classics), Dr. David Hornidge (Physics), Dr. David Lieske (Geography and Environment), Dr. Catherine Lovekin (Physics), and Dr. Linda Pearse (Music) were also named 2022 recipients of the Paul Paré Awards.

For the health and safety of all participants, masks will be mandatory for indoor ceremonies and events on campus and outdoors where physical distancing cannot be maintained during Convocation weekend. Additional information and updates about the Convocation Weekend can be found at: mta.ca/convocation