Many post-secondary institutions’ convocation ceremonies are ballooning in size this month as they honour graduates who were deprived of an in-person ceremony in the last two years because of the pandemic.
At the University of Victoria, more than 3,700 graduates will receive degrees in 14 ceremonies running today through Friday, up from the usual total of about 2,400 taking part in 10 events.
Alumni who graduated in spring 2020, fall 2020 and spring 2021 will have their own in-person convocations and finally get a chance to celebrate their achievements with others.
The number of honorary-degree recipients is also up to keep pace with the number of convocations. There will be seven recipients in all, about twice as many as usual.
“Convocation is the culmination and celebration of many years of dedication and focus,” said Jeanie Gunn, manager of convocation and events. “It’s a really important event and a milestone in students’ lives to be able to celebrate this in-person.”
Camosun College is set to recognize graduates from 2020, 2021 and 2022, with a total of about 1,500 students expected to be present at six ceremonies — up from the norm of about 1,000 — which makes it the school’s largest convocation ever.
“We’re celebrating the fact that we have a triple-cohort convocation,” said Heather Cummings, Camosun’s vice-president of student experience. “We decided to invite everyone for the last three years to join up and celebrate.”
The extra contingent of volunteers needed — for roles such as greeting students, distributing regalia and serving as ushers — is now in place, she said.
A virtual ceremony was held last year, but it didn’t measure up to the real thing, said 2021 graduate Jasey Philip, who earned a diploma in business administration/marketing.
“It was disappointing that there was no physical convocation ceremony, and a virtual ceremony wasn’t quite the same.”
Having family and friends there to watch will make a difference, she said. “I am super-excited to be able to cross the stage and celebrate our achievements.”
Camosun president Lane Trotter said convocation is often the highlight of the academic year.
The six ceremonies are set for June 14, 15 and 16.
Royal Roads University president Philip Steenkamp said this year’s convocations will include as many as 4,500 graduates and guests on Thursday, June 13 and June 14, and recent alumni will be welcomed to additional celebrations that will give them the “crossing-the-stage” moment that they missed due to COVID-19.
“With the opening of our new Dogwood Auditorium, this is the first time in 12 years we have a facility that will allow us to bring convocation ceremonies home to our campus, which is very special for both the students and the faculty and staff.”
Vancouver Island University is preparing for three ceremonies, one on June 23 and two on June 24. For the first time in 20 years, the event will be held in the gymnasium on the Nanaimo campus.
No ceremony is planned for VIU students who graduated during the pandemic because of a high turnout for virtual events in September 2020 and June 2021. Those events included a “celebration kit” mailed to graduates that included a mortarboard and program.
