Collaboration, compassion key to SFU’s return to in-person convocation

“There is a moment,” says Gloria Chu, “where the pipers pause and then the Indigenous drumming and singing starts and it echoes across Convocation Mall as the chancellor’s party moves onto the stage.

“It is super powerful and it moves me completely, every time. It’s one of my favourite parts of Convocation,” says Chu, who, in her role as director of ceremonies, events and protocol in SFU Ceremonies and Events, has overseen SFU’s convocation ceremonies for the past 11 years.

Held twice a year, convocation is a landmark moment and a time of celebration and recognition for students, their family and friends. In October, for the first time since the fall of 2019, SFU returned to an in-person convocation ceremony – the first non-virtual convocation ceremony for any Canadian university since the start of the global pandemic.

This was the culmination of months of planning and replanning; navigating ever-changing public health orders and scenarios; organizing hundreds of staff and volunteers; and collaborating with a half-dozen of SFU departments to deliver a memorable ceremony that marks a milestone event in the life of a student.

Working together to celebrate in person

“Convocation is so meaningful for students and their families. It’s what they’re all aiming for when they come to SFU,” says Lisa Elliott, associate director of Ceremonies and Events, who has helped plan convocation for each of her eight years at SFU.

“It’s phenomenal to see the faculties and different units across campus come together to put on this event. It takes more than 400 staff and volunteers to put on convocation. We don’t often get the opportunity to work together as a university community and to have this many people collaborating together. That’s one of my favourite parts – the collaboration.”

• Related: Did you attend a virtual grad? Find out about how you can attend an in-person ceremony, here.

This summer, planning began for a full return to campus for students, faculty and staff. Included with the return was a desire to host an in-person convocation celebration. Together with the Registrar’s Office and Student Services, Chu and her team worked with all eight faculties, Advancement & Alumni Engagement, Communications and Marketing, Facilities Services, Graduate and Post-doctoral Studies, IT Services, MECS and Parking Services to chart four possible scenarios, ranging from a virtual ceremony to a full ceremony with guests.

After much consultation, organizers opted for a modest scenario for convocation and added extra dates. As part of the safety planning, the team added an entirely new registration and assigned seating system.  Regalia pinning, which traditionally has taken place in the AQ, was moved outside to minimize crowds.

“It was certainly different from a pre-COVID ceremony – staff and students were both happy and excited, but there was still a feeling of anxiety that the ceremonies could get cancelled,” says Nordgren.