Marking the moment

During Fall Convocation from October 21-23 (Fort Garry) and on November 6 (Bannatyne), UM campuses will have an atmosphere of pride and excitement! Find key information you need to join the festivities on the Convocation home page:

• View the ceremony schedules, link to the live streams and explore the Convocation program for each ceremony.
• Learn what time to show up, where to park and details about Convocation accessibility. 
• Explore Convocation traditions, like the meaning of the coloured stoles and hoods worn by the graduates and the significance of the Indigenous motifs on the robes worn by the Chancellor and President.

For more detailed information that will help Convocation day go smoothly:

• Graduates are encouraged to view the Convocation day schedule and read our 10 Tips for a memorable Convocation experience
• Anyone driving to campus should review current service disruptions and road closures as there is active construction on and around the Fort Garry campus. 

Celebrating every story

One of the best parts of the Convocation celebration is recognizing and honouring student achievement. It’s also a time for students to reflect— on what they’ve learned, what has ignited their passions and where they want to go from here. Here are some of their stories:

• After battling Hodgkin’s lymphoma three times, Joshua Chuwang-Kwa has been in remission since 2020. Now, he’s graduating with a Bachelor of Science from UM and sharing his story to inspire others to keep going, no matter the challenge. Hear more about his journey and the support that helped him succeed. 
• Graduating from any program is an incredible accomplishment; meet two students who did so at the top of their class:
  • Talia Smith (she/they), a bachelor of arts (advanced) grad was pursuing psychology at UM when she took an optional philosophy course and it fundamentally changed the way she thinks.
  •  Rachel Donnelly (she/her), a bachelor of respiratory therapy grad , was working in Alzheimer’s research and at a group home during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic while trying to determine her next move. She took a leap of faith when she applied to the College of Rehabilitation Sciences (CoRS).  
• UM nursing alum Ashley Bell seeks to close gaps for 2SLGBTQIA+ families with infants in intensive care: When working in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), she saw some 2SLGBTQIA+ families were not receiving the same level of care as other families. That experience led Bell to return to UM to pursue a master’s degree with a thesis on the lived care experience of 2SLGBTQIA+ families with an infant in a NICU.

Read more 2025 Fall Convocation stories

Recognizing those who inspire

Along with celebrating student achievement, Convocation is a time for the university to recognize honorary degree recipients who have made an impact. We also celebrate teaching excellence and outstanding contributions to the development and governance of the university.

L-R: Dr. Mary Kerr, L. Kerry Vickar

At the Fall 2025 ceremonies, honorary degrees will be bestowed on:

• L. Kerry Vickar, an accomplished business leader, philanthropist and mentor, recognized for his integrity, civic engagement and commitment to stronger communities. (Wednesday Oct 22 ceremony)
• Mary Kerr, a visionary artist, designer and educator who has earned international acclaim as one of Canada’s pre-eminent theatre creators. (October 23 ceremony)

Read more about these two extraordinary Canadians

Other special honours and awards

During Fall Convocation, the university will also honour five faculty members:

• Warren Cariou, Lisa Lix and Joerg Stetefeld will be appointed Distinguished Professors.
• Jocelyn Thorpe will receive the Dr. and Mrs. H.H. Saunderson Award for Excellence in Teaching.
• Wan Wang will receive the Olive Beatrice Stanton Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Learn more about the award winners in the Convocation program.

UM Bisons are at the centre of it all, making a difference here in Manitoba and around the world. 1395 degrees are being awarded at Fall Convocation, bringing the number of graduates in the class of 2025 to 5586. Many of these new alumni will stay in Manitoba, supplying high-demand skills to the labour market and contributing to UM’s $7.3 billion economic impact on our community.

An honorary degree is the highest honour UM can bestow upon an individual for achieving pre-eminence in science, culture, scholarship, or public service. This year’s recipients have dedicated their lives to building community, revitalized the French language, amplified Indigenous voices and spoken authentically about what it means to be human.

They are: Sister Lesley Sacouman, Rosanna Deerchild, Dr. Catherine (Kate) Bowler and Dr. Greg Selinger.

Thursday, May 15 at 10 a.m.

Sister Lesley Sacouman stands at the centre of hope and belonging. A compassionate educator, community builder and faith leader, she has dedicated her life to creating sanctuaries for Winnipeg’s marginalized communities—transforming countless lives through her unwavering commitment to the service of others. 

In 1963, at age 17, she joined the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, immersing herself in the heart of Winnipeg’s inner city. In 1976, she co-founded Rossbrook House, a safe haven that continues to offer alternative education, nutrition, music, leadership and Indigenous cultural programming to more than 80 children and young mothers each day.  

Her advocacy and impact deepened in the decades that followed.

She helped create Anishinaabe Oway-Ishi, an educational and employment training program for Indigenous youth. She co-founded Esther House, a home for women recovering from addiction. She founded the Holy Names House of Peace—a life-affirming refuge for newcomer women and helped establish Marie Rose Place in 2013, a furnished apartment complex for newcomer women and children. At present, she is living at The Salvation Army in a transitional program for vulnerable women.  

Her leadership has extended across the community and beyond, including service on the boards of The Winnipeg Foundation, the Law Society’s Access to Justice Steering Committee and UNANIMA International, a United Nations NGO dedicated to advancing human rights. 

Wednesday, June 4 at 3:30 p.m.

Ms. Rosanna Deerchild is a Cree storyteller, journalist, poet, playwright and radio host whose voice has transformed the Canadian media and literary landscape. She is a band member of Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation with deep family roots in O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation, and has used her platforms to amplify Indigenous voices, challenge racism and spark national conversations about truth, justice and healing. 

For ten years, Deerchild has hosted Unreserved on CBC Radio One, a show dedicated to Indigenous culture, music and stories from across Turtle Island. Her interviews are marked by emotional honesty, humour and a deep respect for lived experience. She also launched a CBC podcast on Indigenous history and is now a recurring actor on the television sitcom Acting Good. 

A celebrated poet, Deerchild’s work has been published widely and anthologized in collections such as Post-prairie and #NotYourPrincess. Her first poetry collection, this is a small northern town, won the Aqua Books Lansdowne Prize for Poetry in 2009. Her second, Calling Down the Sky, written alongside her mother Edna Ferguson, explores the intergenerational trauma of residential schools and earned the Lowther Memorial Award in 2016. This deeply personal work inspired her debut play, The Secret to Good Tea, which premiered at the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre in 2023 to critical and community acclaim. Deerchild also co-founded the Aboriginal Writers Collective which has nurtured Indigenous literary talent for over two decades.  

Friday, June 6 at 9:30 a.m. 

Dr. Catherine (Kate) Bowler tells the truth about life’s hardest moments. She is an antidote to a culture of algorithms that nudge us away from what is real. A raised-in-Winnipeg historian and New York Times bestselling author, she is internationally recognized for her profound contributions to public understanding of faith, resilience and imperfection.  

After being diagnosed with stage IV cancer at the age of 35, she began writing and speaking about what it means to live when the future is uncertain. Her bestselling memoirs—Everything Happens for a Reason (and Other Lies I’ve Loved) and No Cure for Being Human (and Other Truths I Need to Hear)—have touched millions, helping readers navigate their own suffering and loss without resorting to easy answers. 

She confronts these difficult topics on her award-winning podcast, Everything Happens, where she has deeply human conversations with guests like author Malcolm Gladwell, comedian Tig Notaro and political satirist Rick Mercer. Bowler’s voice stands out in a society preoccupied with curating faux-perfection and totting toxic positivity; she offers compassion, honesty and a vision of grace that meets people where they are. 

As a professor at Duke Divinity School, Bowler has brought insight and clarity to a cultural theology that equates success with moral worth. Her book Blessed: A History of the American Prosperity Gospel was the first and remains the most authoritative study of this uniquely American religious movement.  

Bowler’s work reminds us that embracing life’s limitations can reveal its deepest beauty.

Monday, June 16 at 3 p.m. 

From his early work in Winnipeg’s Inner City and North End to his leadership as Premier, Dr. Greg Selinger’s decades-long commitment to social justice and linguistic equality has had a lasting impact on Manitoba.  

Before entering politics, he worked as a social worker doing community development in partnership with underserved populations and later taught in the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Manitoba.  

Selinger was first elected as a city councillor for St. Boniface. He was then elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly, ultimately serving as Manitoba’s Minister of Finance, Minister responsible for Francophone Affairs and, from 2009 to 2016, Premier of Manitoba. 

Throughout his political career, Selinger consistently advocated for the vitality of Manitoba’s Francophone communities. As Minister responsible for Francophone Affairs, he ensured the implementation of all recommendations from the 1998 Chartier Report on French-language services. He supported the creation of six bilingual service centres and laid the foundation for a whole-of-government approach to supporting the development of the Francophonie—efforts that moved beyond service delivery to cultural and linguistic revitalization. 

Selinger also championed access to French-language education, supporting the expansion of both French-first language and immersion school networks, and played a leading role in securing full university status for the Université de Saint-Boniface.  

The honorary degree is the highest honour UM can bestow upon an individual for achieving pre-eminence in science, culture, scholarship, or public service. This year’s recipients have transformed health care, championed ideas of Indigenous nationhood, advocated for equality and inclusion, innovated the solar industry and defended language rights. They are Dr. Graham Sher, Marion Ironquil Meadmore, The Honorable Anita Neville, Xiaohua (Shawn) Qu and Léo Robert.

Dr. Graham Sher
May 16, 10 a.m. ceremony

Dr. Graham Sher is a health-care visionary. Under his innovative leadership, Canadian Blood Services has developed into an organization that is internationally respected for its safe, reliable management of blood, blood products and stem cell therapies, as well as organ donation and transplantation.

When the national, non-profit Canadian Blood Services was established in 1998 following the Krever Inquiry into Canada’s tainted blood scandal, Dr. Sher became its first vice-president of medical, scientific and clinical management. He was appointed to his current role as chief executive officer in 2001.

His first priority was rebuilding Canadians’ trust in the blood supply by implementing rigorous safety and testing systems. He then led the transformation of Canadian Blood Services into a state-of-the-art manufacturer of biologic products, including plasma and stem cells, with a core focus on safety, quality, innovation and productivity.

In 2021, he was appointed to the Order of Canada for his contributions to public health and for being instrumental in the development of Canada’s national blood system.

Marion Ironquil Meadmore
June 6, 9:00 a.m. ceremony

Marion Ironquil Meadmore has spent her life championing ideas of Indigenous nationhood, while creating organizations that inspire Indigenous Peoples to regain equality and economic independence in the wake of colonialism.

This journey began when she was a University of Manitoba student, new to the city, far from Peepeekisis First Nation in Saskatchewan where she grew up. She went to an “Indian conference” at the Legislature and heard white social workers complaining about Indigenous Peoples. Frustrated and upset, she and others decided to create the Urban Indian Council of Winnipeg.

Soon after, she co-founded the Indian and Métis Friendship Centre and the National Indian Council of Canada, which has since split to become the Assembly of First Nations and what is now the Métis National Council. She also organized a conference that led to the formation of the Manitoba Indian Brotherhood and the Manitoba Métis Federation.

In 1970 she co-founded Kinew Housing, Canada’s first non-profit housing corporation that has brought safe, affordable housing to urban Indigenous Peoples. Around this time, she studied law at Robson Hall and upon graduating, opened the first all-female law firm in Winnipeg with three others. While practicing law, she organized conferences and workshops to educate new lawyers, students and Indigenous leaders about the constitution and new ideas of “nationhood.” She also founded the Indian Liberal Caucus and what is today called the Indigenous Bar Association.

A member of the Order of Canada, Ironquil Meadmore also received the Distinguished Alumni Award (Lifetime Achievement) from UM in 2015.

The Honorable Anita Neville
June 6, 2:30 p.m. ceremony

The Honourable Anita Neville has spent her life advocating for equality and inclusion. She has used her voice to drive change, and has always encouraged and supported youth and women in doing the same.

Ms. Neville graduated from political science and used her UM degree to drive change–first as a Trustee and Chair of the Winnipeg School Division, and then as an elected Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South Centre, during which time she served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Minister responsible for the Status of Women. She also served on numerous committees, parliamentary associations, and parliamentary groups.

In government, she fought for same sex marriage, addressing systemic issues related to missing and murdered Indigenous women, and for parliament to establish a Holocaust Memorial Day. She also worked tirelessly to have more women enter politics, giving a great deal of her time and energy to Equal Voice, an organization that promotes the election of more women to all orders of Canadian government.

A born-and-raised Winnipegger, Ms. Neville has remained dedicated to this community through her professional and volunteer work. She served as director of Workforce 2000 and the Winnipeg Core Area Initiative and Employment Training Program, and she has volunteered for Winnipeg’s Jewish Child and Family organization, the Law Society of Manitoba, Rossbrook House, the City of Winnipeg’s Community Race Relations Committee, Manitoba’s Public Utilities Board, and the Institute for International Women’s Rights.

Dr. Xiaohua (Shawn) Qu
June 7, 9:30 a.m. ceremony

Xiaohua (Shawn) Qu often refers to himself modestly as a “boring engineer,” yet he is globally recognized as one of the greatest innovators and entrepreneurs in the solar industry, dedicated to steering the world away from its reliance on fossil fuels.

Dr. Qu was among the pioneering group of students to venture to Canada when China eased restrictions on studying abroad in 1987. He secured a scholarship to study physics at the University of Manitoba and his drive, creativity, and talent quickly caught the attention of his thesis advisor, Professor Peter Loly.

In 2001 he founded Canadian Solar Inc (CSIQ) and with the support of some federal grants he brought small-scale solar panels to villages in China and Tibet. These panels could power only two lightbulbs and a radio, yet the profound impact on the lives of local people catalyzed Dr. Qu’s vision for the broader potential of solar technology.

Five years later, CSIQ became one of the first Canadian solar companies to list on the NASDAQ stock exchange. Today, it stands as one of the world’s leading manufacturers of photovoltaic solar panels and energy storage systems, with facilities in five countries and products reaching over 160 countries, including regions previously without electricity access.

Dr. Qu continues to drive innovation in the field, contributing to scholarly articles in leading academic journals and, in 2011, even becoming a visiting professor at Tsinghua University—one of China’s top universities. In 2019, he was honored as a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering.

Léo Robert  
June 10, 3:00 p.m. at Université De Saint-Boniface Convocation 

Léo Robert is a defender of language rights and a champion of inclusivity. He has spent his life bolstering francophone culture and its vitality in this province by building bridges and supporting French education.  

Born in the small Manitoba town of Aubigny, Mr. Robert went on to have a gigantic impact across our province. For more than 35 years he has benefited French education, serving as a teacher and administrator at numerous levels, including sitting on the Board of Governors of the former University College of Saint-Boniface, even acting as the college’s president in 2009, during which time he obtained official university status for the college. He was also one of the founding members of the Association of School Directors of Franco-Manitoban Communities, serving as its president from 1988 to 1990 and again from 1994 to 1996. 

Between 1982 to 1984 he was president of the Société Franco-Manitobaine (SFM). These were tumultuous times. In the year he began, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms was adopted and language rights were changing across the country, which upset some. French-owned businesses were vandalized, Mr. Robert received threats and on Jan. 30, 1983, a firebomb was thrown into SFM offices.  

Such actions did not dissuade Mr. Robert from using his voice. Buoyed by the support of the local community, he continued to petition the government to amend the Manitoba Act and recognize Franco-Manitobans. He succeeded.

He was fighting for minority rights and the idea of an inclusive and tolerant society—he inspired policymakers and secured francophone rights. Under his leadership, the SFM led negotiations with the provincial and federal governments to obtain a constitutional amendment leading to Manitoba translating all its laws and regulations into both official languages as well as to Manitoba offering French languages services. The amendment was never voted on in the legislature. 

In 2021, for all he had done for francophone culture in Manitoba, he was recognized with an Order of Canada. 

At the university’s upcoming 52nd Fall Convocation ceremonies, held Oct. 15-17 and Nov. 7, the following remarkable individuals will be awarded honorary degrees:

Craig Baines

Craig Baines—BA(Manitoba), MDS(Royal Military College), MPA(Royal Military College)

Rear-Admiral Craig Baines commands the Canadian Atlantic Fleet in Halifax, N.S. While commander of the HMCS Winnipeg frigate between 2007 and 2009, he and his crew disarmed numerous pirates in the Gulf of Aden, earning him international respect and the prestigious Meritorious Service Cross from Canada’s Governor General, which recognizes exceptional leadership and service to Canada.

Tuesday, October 15, 2019 3:00 p.m

Morley Hollenberg—BSc(Manitoba), MSc(Manitoba), DPhil(Oxford), MD(John Hopkins)

Morley Hollenberg

Dr. Morley Hollenberg has made monumental contributions to our understanding of peptide hormones, which regulate numerous biological functions. His extensive publications have transformed many branches of research and knowledge pertaining to cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal and neurological diseases. In 2011, recognizing his sustained excellence, the Royal Society of Canada awarded him its most prestigious medical science honour, the McLauglin Medal.

Thursday, November 7, 2019 2:00 p.m

Guy Maddin

Guy Maddin—OC, OM, BA(Winnipeg), LittD(Winnipeg)

Since producing his first film in 1985, Mr. Guy Maddin has become one of Canada’s most celebrated and influential directors, producers, screenwriters, and cinematographers. Mr. Maddin has received many awards throughout his career, including an Emmy, the Telluride Medal for lifetime achievement in film, and the Manitoba Arts Council’s Award of Distinction for Lifetime Achievement in the Arts.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019 3:00 p.m

Jean Senft—BSSc(Western)

Jean Senft

Ms. Jean Senft is an internationally renowned figure skating judge who exposed unethical judging practices during the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan. The author and philanthropist has committed herself to ensuring sports promote fairness and nurture excellence. In 2009, Sports Officials Canada created the Jean Riley Senft Integrity Award, of which she was the first recipient.

Thursday, October 17, 2019 3:00 p.m

Join in the celebration and watch the 52nd annual Fall Convocation live stream here.

Robert Silver, president and co-owner of Western Glove Works Ltd and co-owner of the Winnipeg Free Press, will be granted an honorary degree from the University of Manitoba this spring.

Silver, who will be obtaining a Doctor of Laws degree, is one of eight individuals set to receive honorary degrees during the U of M’s 140th spring convocation.

“Each year, the University of Manitoba bestows honorary degrees upon individuals who have achieved acclaim for their advancement of culture, communications, education, administration, scholarship, leadership philanthropy, mentorship, or business,” reads a U of M press release.

Read the full story here.

During the 139th annual Spring Convocation of the University of Manitoba on May 24 and June 5 to 8, 2018, the following noteworthy individuals will be awarded honorary degrees:

Martin Joel Yaffe
CM, BSc, MSc(Manitoba), PhD(Toronto)

Pioneering researcher in digital mammography, Dr. Martin Joel Yaffe

Internationally recognized scientist Dr. Martin Yaffe has devoted his career to finding ways to help women with breast cancer. The diagnostic techniques he continues to pioneer save thousands of lives around the world every year. Best known as a pioneer in the development of digital mammography, he has helped to substantially improve the accuracy of breast cancer imaging.

Doctor of Science (honoris causa)

Bannatyne Campus, Thursday, May 24, 2018, 10:00 am

Cindy Blackstock
BA(UBC), MMan(McGill), MJ(Loyola), ipkDoc(BQFNU), PhD(Toronto), DCL(St. John’s College), DLitt(MSVU, TRU), LLD(Ryerson, Saskatchewan, UNBC, Waterloo, Western, Winnipeg, York)

Passionate defender of the rights of Indigenous children and families, Dr. Cindy Blackstock

Dr. Cindy Blackstock grew up in northern British Columbia and is a member of the Gitksan First Nation. Inspired by the inequity she saw firsthand as a social worker, she made it her life mission to advocate for the reform of Canada’s child welfare system to meet the needs of all. She is a passionate defender of the rights of Indigenous children and families across Canada, an author and researcher. 

Doctor of Laws (honoris causa)

Bannatyne Campus, Thursday, May 24, 2018, 3:00 pm

The Hon. Janis Guðrún Johnson
BA(Manitoba)

Former Canadian Senator, The Hon. Janis Guðrún Johnson

For nearly half a century, the Honourable Janis Johnson has had an important influence on public policy in Canada. She has also championed many vital organizations that enrich the quality and vibrancy of life in Manitoba. She was appointed to the Senate of Canada in 1990, and upon retiring in 2016 was the longest-serving Conservative member.

Doctor of Laws (honoris causa)

Investors Group Athletic Centre (IGAC), Fort Garry Campus, Tuesday, June 5, 2018, 2:30 pm

Glen Alan Jones
BA, BEd(Manitoba), MEd, PhD(Toronto)

Noted scholar on post-secondary education, Dr. Glen Alan Jones

Dr. Glen Jones is widely recognized as the foremost scholar writing about Canadian universities, as well as one of the world’s leading authorities on university governance. Collaborating with peers from around the world, he has greatly expanded our academic understanding of the factors impacting Canadian universities, from systems and governance to politics and policy.

Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)

Investors Group Athletic Centre (IGAC), Fort Garry Campus, Wednesday, June 6, 2018, 9:30 am

Janet Rossant
CC, BA, MA(Oxford), PhD(Cambridge), LLD(Dalhousie, Mount Allison, Windsor), DSc(UBC, Cambridge)

Stem cell researcher and President and Scientific Director of the Gairdner Foundation, Dr. Janet Rossant

Through her trailblazing stem-cell research, Dr. Janet Rossant has advanced the study of children’s illnesses and laid the groundwork for future advances in regenerative medicine. Her groundbreaking work led to the discovery of the trophoblast stem cell, which helped understand how congenital abnormalities in the heart, blood vessels and placenta can occur.

Doctor of Science (honoris causa)

Investors Group Athletic Centre (IGAC), Fort Garry Campus, Wednesday, June 6, 2018, 3:00 pm

Richard G. Henriquez
CM, BArch(Manitoba), MArch(MIT), LLD(SFU)

Canadian architect and outstanding urban designer, Richard G. Henriquez

Few Canadian architects have influenced contemporary urban design more than Mr. Richard Henriquez. Over the past 50 years, his imaginative approaches have shaped the architectural character of Vancouver and drawn worldwide attention through the development of Vancouverism, a distinctive form of high-density urban design that combines slim towers, lowrise buildings, parks and view corridors to create intimate, livable neighbourhoods. 

Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)

Investors Group Athletic Centre (IGAC), Fort Garry Campus, Thursday, June 7, 2018, 9:30 am

Elder Mary Elizabeth Courchene
BT(Brandon), BA, BEd(Manitoba)

Distinguished Indigenous educator and Residential School Survivor, Elder Mary Elizabeth Courchene

A distinguished Indigenous leader and inspirational role model in the field of public education, Elder Mary Courchene generously offers her guidance and courage on our shared journey toward truth and reconciliation. In 2008, she was among the 100 survivors invited to the House of Commons to witness the Canadian government’s historic apology for its role in Residential Schools.

Doctor of Laws (honoris causa)

Investors Group Athletic Centre (IGAC), Fort Garry Campus, Thursday, June 7, 2018, 3:00 pm

Arnold Frieman
OM, BA(Manitoba)

President of Advance Electronics in Winnipeg, business leader Arnold Frieman

Arnold Frieman is one of six children from an Orthodox Jewish family whose happy life was destroyed by the Holocaust. In 1962, he bought the small television repair shop that would become Advance Electronics. One of the joys of his success is his ability to give back, and he has become an esteemed benefactor of his adopted community. The many organizations he has supported range from iconic arts groups to small, grassroots causes.

Doctor of Laws (honoris causa)

Investors Group Athletic Centre (IGAC), Fort Garry Campus, Friday, June 8, 2018, 10:30 am

Learn more about our Honorary Degree recipients here.

Each session of Convocation will be streamed online. Follow #umanitoba2018 on Twitter and Instagram  to see more.