Remote celebrations and virtual ceremonies will mark this year’s spring convocations at the University of Victoria and Royal Roads University.
Due to ongoing restrictions on public gatherings, both institutes of higher learning have suspended in-person events. Royal Roads University is hosting an online event this month, while UVic graduates can return within the next three years to take part in another convocation.
In addition to the more than 3,800 degrees, diplomas and certificates, the University of Victoria is conferring honorary degrees to seven community members, recognizing achievements in health care, art, science, law and business.
Nominees, who received the awards Tuesday and Wednesday, were chosen for accomplishments that extend beyond their respective fields.
Among the recipients was Marvin Storrow, QC, who received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree.
Born in Vancouver in 1934, Storrow attended the University of British Columbia and was called to the bar in 1963.
During his long career, he litigated both civil and criminal cases, including 20 in the Supreme Court of Canada. While his expertise covers a number of areas, he is known for his success in Indigenous law, including several groundbreaking verdicts in constitutional rights and land titles in the 1970s and 1980s.
“In my opinion, the Indigenous peoples have not been treated very fairly and I was able to take their cases (in the areas of constitutional rights and land titles) to the Supreme Court,” said Storrow.
Others honoured with an honorary Doctor of Laws degree include:
* Josh Blair, co-founder and CEO of Impro.AI, a partner at Esplanade Ventures, chair of TELUS International and vice-chair of Carebook Technologies.
* Barry Gough, one of Canada’s leading historians and author of many prize-winning and critically acclaimed histories dealing with the Royal Navy and the British Empire.
* Bruce Poon Tip, the founder of G Adventures, a pioneering travel company that supports sustainable tourism and environmental activism.
Eric Metcalfe received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree. His work has crossed disciplines and includes painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, installation, performance, music and video.
In recognition of her career as a nurse, nurse educator and administrator, Teresa Petrick received an honorary Doctor of Science degree in nursing.
Pauline van den Driessche received an honorary Doctor of Science degree for her work in mathematics and revolutionizing the understanding of disease dynamics, in areas such as multicity disease dynamics, HIV/AIDS control and West Nile virus outbreak prediction.
The graduating class of 2021 received recorded video remarks from the honorary-degree recipients, along with congratulatory messages from university leaders and elders.
Graduates were also offered grad boxes that contained items to help celebrate their milestone — from a banner sporting their faculty name to grad caps — and their official university parchment.
Fall convocation plans are in the early stages and the university says it is too early to predict what the events will look like.
At Royal Roads University, 780 graduates from Canada and around the world will celebrate their convocation online on June 18.
Graduates will receive degrees, certificates or diplomas from the faculty of management, the faculty of social and applied sciences and the College of Interdisciplinary Studies.
“The courage and resilience our graduates have shown throughout the pandemic are extraordinary,” said Philip Steenkamp, president and vice-chancellor.
Royal Roads will present an honorary Doctor of Laws degree to former B.C. premier Dan Miller, for his determination to improve education in British Columbia and for his part in the creation of the university.
The university will also confer an honorary Doctor of Laws degree on international educator Dr. Weichang Yang for his work to create a more innovative and tolerant world through education and his commitment to upholding and promoting diversity in academia.
parrais@timescolonist.com
