Celebrate the journey at Fall Convocation
Graduates take the stage; family and friends gather to honour their achievements
Convocation is a significant milestone on each Bison’s journey. From the moment students arrive on campus for Orientation, their path is leading to this: crossing the stage after years of hard work to receive their parchment in front of family, friends and fellow students. For supporters who have been walking beside them, Convocation is a time to cheer on their grads as they pass the finish line and become UM alumni. As one chapter closes, a new one begins.
Convocation details
During convocation October 22, 23, and 31, UM campuses have an atmosphere of excitement, pride and celebration. For anyone attending ceremonies either in person or virtually, the Convocation landing page on umanitoba.ca is the gateway to everything you need to know. Find the ceremony schedules, access the live stream on event day and get information on what to wear and where to park. This is also where you’ll find the Convocation program. Do you want to know the meaning of the coloured stoles and hoods worn by the graduates, or the significance of the Indigenous motifs on the robes worn by the Chancellor and President? You can find that here too!
If you’re a graduating student, you’ll want to check out our 10 tips to make Convocation day a memorable experience. If you are a supporter tuning into ceremonies from home, you’ll want to find out how to use the interactive virtual event platform.
Celebrating student success
One of the best parts of the Convocation celebration is recognizing and honouring student academic 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:
- Medal-winning students share their journey, advice at Fall Convocation. Alexander Senden’s passion for computer science began in high school. Now he’s graduating with Bachelor of Computer Science (Honours) and the Governor General’s Silver Medal. Jimmy Szutu already has a degree in athletic therapy. Now he’s graduating with a Bachelor of Respiratory Therapy and a University Gold Medal.
- Celebrating the Ansininew Cohort in Inclusion and Reconciliation. 19 Indigenous teachers are graduating with their Post Baccalaureate Diploma in Education this October.
- Two 2024 Vanier scholars are graduating this fall with their master’s degrees in Psychology and are starting PhD programs at UM. Sydney Levasseur-Puhach plans to develop a culturally specific mental health program for Indigenous mothers based on knowledge gathered from the women themselves. Dallas Murphy aims to resolve the “treatment gap” that sees more people suffering from challenges with their mental health than are being treated.
- Meet five Asper graduates taking the stage at Fall Convocation. Learn how their educational journeys have been enhanced by experiential learning, extracurriculars and mentorship.
- The College of Nursing welcomes 105 new nurses to the profession. Four graduates reflect on the moments that got them here.
Honorary degrees and other honours
Along with celebrating student achievement, Convocation is a time for the university to recognize honorary degree recipients who have made our province and country better. We also celebrate teaching excellence and outstanding contributions to the development and governance of the University.
At the Fall 2024 ceremony, honorary degrees will be bestowed on:
- Walter and Maria Schroeder, entrepreneurs turned philanthropists who are committed to improving health services for all Canadians and removing barriers so that students can pursue their dreams without financial burden. They will be honoured at the ceremony on Tuesday, October 22 at 2 p.m.
- David T. Barnard, former UM President and Vice-Chancellor who transformed our community through his visionary leadership in advancing Reconciliation, fostering interdisciplinary research and achieving record-breaking philanthropic support. He will be honoured at the ceremony on Wednesday, October 23 at 3 p.m.
Read the UM Today story to learn more about the honorary degree recipients.
Two faculty members, Dr. Evelyn L. Forget and Dr. Nariman Sepehri, will be named Distinguished Professors. Nandika Bandara will receive the University of Manitoba Graduate Students’ Association Teaching Award.
Congratulations to the class of 2024 and all the award and honorary degree recipients!
UM Bisons are at the centre of it all, making a difference here in Manitoba and around the world. 1,429 degrees are being awarded at Fall Convocation, bringing the number of graduates in the class of 2024 to just over 5,500. Many of these new alumni will stay in Manitoba, contributing high-demand skills to the labour market and injecting nearly $300 million into the province’s economy each year.