742 students will be taking their next steps after today’s (Friday) 33rd Convocation.
The first two ceremonies are scheduled at the Prince George campus, followed by other ceremonies in Terrace, Fort St. John, Quesnel and Nisga’a.
May 29 – Prince George – Ceremony 1 – 9:30 a.m.
UNBC’s 33rd Convocation will begin with the first student procession from the Bentley Centre to the Northern Sport Centre on Friday morning, May 29.
Ceremony 1 begins at 9:30 a.m. and is scheduled to finish at 12 p.m. Students will gather immediately afterward for their class photo on the Ceremonial stairs in the Agora Courtyard.
Honours and awards presented during Ceremony 1:
- Governor General’s Gold Medal recipient Erica Koopmans
- Governor General’s Silver Medal recipient Navroze Singh
- Lieutenant Governor’s Silver Medal for Inclusion, Democracy and Reconciliation recipient Araiya Bernard
- Honorary Doctor of Law degree recipient Nisga’a Hereditary Chief Harry Nyce Sr., Sim’oogit Hleek
- Valedictorian Araiya Bernard
Bernard, a graduate of UNBC’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, will be addressing resiliency and the power of community, values shaped through experiences in classrooms, clinics, and communities across the North.
This year, she served as president of the UNBC Nursing Club, an undergraduate student representative on the UNBC Senate, a Campus Cousin at the First Nations Centre, and was a member of the student leadership team with the UNBC chapter of the Golden Key International Honour Society.
Our previous story on Bernard can be found here.
May 29 – Prince George – Ceremony 2 – 2:30 p.m.
The class photo for graduating students in Ceremony 2 will take place at the Ceremonial stairs at 1 p.m., followed by the 2 p.m. procession from the Bentley Centre to the Northern Sport Centre for the start of the afternoon ceremony..
Honours and awards presented during Ceremony 2:
- Honorary Doctor of Laws degree recipient Takla Nation Hereditary Chief Mary Teegee, Maaxswxw Gibuu
- Valedictorian Holly McVea
McVea will be the first two-time Valedictorian in the school’s history, receiving her Master of Science in Natural Resources and Environmental Studies (Biology).
For the past year, she’s served as the Manager, Indigenous Services and Strategic Initiatives, overseeing both the University’s Office of Indigenous Initiatives (OII) and the First Nations Centre (FNC).
Our previous story on McVea can be found here.
The remaining ceremonies will take place at Wilp Wilxo’oskwhl Nisga’a Institute on Monday, Terrace R.E.M. Lee Theatre on Tuesday, Fort St. John’s Pomeroy Hotel & Conference Centre on June 5th, and at the Quesnel Campus on June 11th.
The breakdown of all Convocation ceremonies can be found here.
The ceremonies are ticketed events; however, they will be livestreamed for all to enjoy on UNBC’s YouTube channel.
– Files from Darin Bain and Brendan Pawliw, My Prince George Now staff
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