Honorary degrees for Orange Shirt Day founder, Nobel Prize winner, educator and artist at Fall Convocation October 5-6

Nearly 1,700 students are preparing to graduate from Simon Fraser University this week during Fall Convocation, which will see honorary degrees conferred on four distinguished individuals in recognition of their accomplishments, including:

• Stan Douglas, one of Canada’s most acclaimed contemporary artists— Thursday Oct. 5 morning, 9:45 am ceremony 

• Esther Duflo, one of the world’s most highly accomplished economists—and the youngest recipient of the Nobel Prize for Economics— Thursday Oct. 5 afternoon, 2:30 pm ceremony

• Phyllis Webstad, founder of Orange Shirt Day, who is Northern Secwépemc (Shuswap) from the Stswecem’c Xget’tem First Nation, and who has tirelessly shared her personal story over the past decade to raise awareness of the residential school system—Friday Oct. 6 morning, 9:45 am ceremony

• Elder Larry Grant (sʔəyəɬəq | 洪禮興), a widely-respected educator and community leader who has played a major role in revitalizing Musqueam language, culture and presence throughout Metro Vancouver—Friday Oct. 6 afternoon, 2:30 pm ceremony

Graduating students include SFU’s resident ‘spiderman’ Andreas Fischer, who’ll receive both a master’s degree and PhD in science after years of studying how spiders communicate—in a lab housing more than 4,000 spiders. Fischer is currently in Germany;

Twins Basil and Joanna Giannopoulos both receive engineering degrees after sharing the same academic path with the goal of graduating together, on Thursday morning;

Tlingit Elder Bessie Cooley has earned an MA in Indigenous Languages & Linguistics for her work documenting and preserving the northern Tlingit language. Cooley will attend her convocation ceremony on Thursday afternoon.

Faculty ceremonies are as follows:

• Thursday 9:45 am: Faculty of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Health Science, Faculty of Communication, Art and Technology

• Thursday 2:30 pm: Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

• Friday 9:45 am: Beedie School of Business, Faculty of Science

• Friday 2:30 pm: Faculty of Environment, Faculty of Education

MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES

Media are welcome to attend. Please RSVP to SFU’s Communications & Marketing office (778.782.3210; mediarelations@sfu.ca) to arrange parking and accreditation.     
                  
Following the procession of graduands across the AQ pond into Convocation Mall, ceremonies begin with speeches from Chancellor Tamara Vrooman and SFU President Joy Johnson. 

The honorary degree is then conferred (about 20 minutes into the ceremony) followed by the recipient’s speech. After a class valedictorian address, the formal procession of graduands across the stage follows.  

CONTACT

RAY SHARMA, SFU Communications & Marketing 
ray_sharma@sfu.ca

Simon Fraser University 
Communications & Marketing | SFU Media Experts Directory 
778.782.3210

ABOUT SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

As Canada’s engaged university, SFU works with communities, organizations and partners to create, share and embrace knowledge that improves life and generates real change. We deliver a world-class education with lifelong value that shapes change-makers, visionaries and problem-solvers. We connect research and innovation to entrepreneurship and industry to deliver sustainable, relevant solutions to today’s problems. With campuses in British Columbia’s three largest cities—Vancouver, Burnaby and Surrey—SFU has eight faculties that deliver 193 undergraduate degree programs and 144 graduate degree programs to more than 37,000 students. The university now boasts more than 170,000 alumni residing in 145+ countries.