Last week, St. Mary’s University held its first in-person Convocation ceremonies in two years at St. Michael Catholic Community. There was a strong sense of celebration and pride throughout these ceremonies, as faculty, staff, family and loved ones celebrated the incredible achievements and significant milestones of St. Mary’s University’s newest graduates. Over the course of two ceremonies that celebrated our graduating Bachelor of Arts and Sciences and Bachelor of Education and DRE/CCEL classes, 224 students crossed the stage to receive their parchments out of a total graduating class of 273.

President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Gerry Turcotte welcomed our graduates with an address that congratulated them for continuing to pursue their goals, despite the significant challenges and uncertainty that the past few years have held. Although the university experience of our 2022 graduates may not have been exactly as they had planned, through hard work and resiliency, they collectively achieved the extraordinary accomplishment of graduating and showcasing the strength of the spirit of St. Mary’s.

Although our Convocation ceremonies represented the beginning of a bright new chapter for our graduates, it is our hope that they will continue to think of St. Mary’s as home as they carry on with living their lives with the integrity, compassion and confidence that sets our graduates apart.

However, it is not only our esteemed graduates who are turning the page to an exciting new chapter, with our 2022 Convocation ceremonies also representing the last year that Dr. Turcotte will serve as president and vice-chancellor.

“As many of you know, this Convocation is bittersweet for me, as this will be my last as president of St. Mary’s University after eleven years in office. It has been one of the great honours of my life to represent St. Mary’s and serve as your president,” said Dr. Turcotte.

Looking forward, we cannot wait to see the lasting impact that our newest graduates will have as they head off into the world, armed with the knowledge and values that are at the heart of a St. Mary’s University education.

And while these ceremonies represented many new chapters, it was also a year of firsts! Besides being the first in-person ceremonies in two years, this was also the first time we have hosted two separate Convocation ceremonies. This is a reflection of the remarkable growth our valuable degree programs have experienced.

BA/BSc Convocation Ceremony – June 9

Graduates from our Bachelor of Arts and Sciences program entered with our Academic Procession and during the Conferment of Degrees and Certificates, were presented by Dr. Karim Dharamsi, Dean of Arts and Sciences.

Awards:

Honorary Fellow

At St. Mary’s University, the Honorary Fellow designation is bestowed on distinguished contributors to the life and mission of the University.

Recipient: Don Verdonck

St. Mary’s University was honoured to bestow the title of Honorary Fellow on Mr. Verdonck. Mr. Verdonck has been a long-standing supporter, benefactor and friend to St. Mary’s University, its leaders, students and stakeholders. Mr. Verdonck’s involvement in and support for St. Mary’s goes back to 2009 when he volunteered to be a member of the Board of Governors. In his role as a Board member he served on the Finance Committee, Nominating Committee, Site Planning Committee, Development Committee, and the Executive Committee. He became instrumental in Site Planning and provided leadership for the new Heritage Centre development project.

St. Mary’s University Order of Excellence

The St. Mary’s University Order of Excellence is a highly prestigious award honouring St. Mary’s University community members who have contributed in an impactful manner to the University over a period of time

Recipient: Guy Turcotte

The St. Mary’s University Order of Excellence is awarded to Mr. Guy Turcotte. Mr. Turcotte is one of Alberta’s most prominent business leaders and one who is a long-standing supporter, patron and friend to St. Mary’s University. He is a philanthropist and public figure who is very generous with his time and talent. He is an inspirational leader who has not only led and founded numerous highly successful companies, but he has also always given back to the community through a staggering number of initiatives. Mr. Turcotte’s involvement in and support for St. Mary’s goes back to the 1990s when he offered not only his advice and council on how to grow the university, but also provided foundational donations that helped St. Mary’s to develop and expand.

St. Mary’s University Star Award

The St. Mary’s University Star Award recognizes St. Mary’s University students or alumni who have rendered outstanding service to the University and the community, exemplifying the mission and values of the University and working toward a vision of social justice and the common good.

2020 Recipient: Tiffany Biensch

Tiffany completed her Bachelor of Arts in Honours Psychology in 2020, and we are honoured to be able to present her award in person today. In her time at St. Mary’s University, Tiffany actively coordinated Masses, liaising with musicians, coordinating the liturgical ministers and much

more. She was efficient, generous and a wonderful ambassador to the University. Through her leadership in campus ministry, Tiffany was vital in fostering a gracious and inclusive community for everyone.

2021 Recipient: Julianna Driscoll

Julianna completed her Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies in 2021 and just completed her first year of the Bachelor of Education – Elementary program. She continues to be an outstanding representative of St. Mary’s University. Julianna was among the most consistent volunteers at virtually every President’s Volunteer Team event. She was a tireless advocate for her fellow students and held a Vice President’s role in our Student Legislative Council where she coordinated significant initiatives, both for her fellow students but also for the community at large.

Awards for Graduands

Gold Medal Award

Medals presented at Convocation are among the most prestigious of university awards. It is the intention of St. Mary’s University to uphold the standard of these medals as they reflect the highest academic distinction to which students can aspire. The Gold Medal is awarded to the

graduand with the highest cumulative grade point average in a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree.

Recipients:

Stephanie Wright, 2021

Shealynn Cooper, 2022

Valedictorian

The Valedictorian is a member of the graduating class completing a first degree program who is chosen to present a farewell speech on behalf of the class at Convocation. The 2022 Valedictorian was Elizabeth Krueger, who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with a Major in History.

BEd Convocation Ceremony – June 10

Graduates from our Bachelor of Education and DRE/CCEL programs entered with our Academic Procession and during the Conferment of Degrees and Certificates, were presented by Dr. Paolina Seitz, Area Chair, Faculty of Education. Graduates were also addressed in a touching

speech by Education Students’ Association President and 2022 Grad, Caij Meloche.

Awards:

Honorary Fellow

At St. Mary’s University, the Honorary Fellow designation is bestowed on distinguished contributors to the life and mission of the University.

2020 Recipient: Linda Olsen

A leading member of Calgary’s local media community, Ms. Olsen has been with Global Calgary for over 20 years and has been a trusted voice and guiding light during some of Calgary’s biggest events. Ms. Olsen’s service to St. Mary’s began in 2012 when she first served as emcee for the annual St. Mary’s University President’s Dinner. Since that time, Ms. Olsen has reprised this role on several occasions and has volunteered her time and energy on various St. Mary’s committees.

2022 Recipient: Evelyn Good Striker

Evelyn is a treasured Lakota/Dakota Elder, Traditional Knowledge-Keeper, career educator and cultural consultant. She is a member of the Standing Buffalo First Nation in Saskatchewan and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe in South Dakota, and a descendent of Chief Sitting Bull.

In her “retirement” years, she serves the community as an esteemed Elder and consummate teacher who leads with humility, wisdom, grace, and kindness within the Treaty 7 region, provincially, and nationally. It is in this capacity that we, at St. Mary’s University have become benefactors of Evelyn’s gifts as a guide and educator. She has been walking alongside us on our journey as we learn what it means to be good relatives to each other, the Land, and the peoples Indigenous to this place.

Dr. David Lawless Award for Scholarly Achievement

The Dr. David Lawless Award for Scholarly Achievement is awarded to a member of the full-time faculty at St. Mary’s University in recognition of major scholarly achievements such as research published in peer-adjudicated articles, monographs or books accepted by established publishers; or major submissions to national granting councils.

2022 Recipient: Dr. Laurie Hill

With a PhD from the University of Calgary, Dr. Hill is an established scholar in the areas of pre-service teacher’s professional identity development; student experience in Bachelor of Education program contexts; literacy and cultural identity; and field experiences and mentorship

practices. Most recently, Dr. Hill is co-editor of a book analyzing the impact of COVID-19 on Bachelor of Education programs across Canada.

St. Mary’s University Star Award

The St. Mary’s University Star Award recognizes St. Mary’s University students or alumni who have rendered outstanding service to the University and the community, exemplifying the mission and values of the University and working toward a vision of social justice and the common good.

2020 Recipient: Ashley Grieve

Ashley has been a dedicated student who has invested in the university community in numerous ways. Ashley was an outstanding student, setting high standards for herself in the completion of her course work and in meeting course outcomes. During her undergraduate degree at St. Mary’s and most recently, in the Bachelor of Education program, Ashley was known by her peers for her loyalty, dedication, and hard work. She made efforts to support her peers and to create a sense of community among her classmates.

2022 Recipient: Artemis Baker

Artemis recently graduated from St. Mary’s with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Minor in History and has just completed the first year of our Bachelor of Education program in the Elementary stream. Throughout Artemis’ time at St. Mary’s, 17 they have served as a representative of the Student Legislative Council, have been integral to numerous clubs, and have worked as a student employee with the Learning Centre. In each of these respects, Artemis has always gone above and beyond our expectations to ensure that marginalized voices are heard and uplifted, and to promote an inclusive environment that fosters the development of mind, body, and spirit.

2022 Honourable Lois E. Mitchell Graduating Social Studies Teacher Award

The Honourable Lois E. Mitchell Graduating Social Studies Teacher Award may be presented annually to assist students graduating as teachers with a specialty in Social Studies.

2022 Recipients: Ross Abraham, Christopher Carnduff, Cullen Cousins and Taylor Dunphy.