Thursday, June 13, 2024

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• Faculty of Arts convocation will see the 250,000th grad cross the stage
• Waterloo alum Benjie Thomas named next CEO of KPMG Canada
• Reception held for PhD candidates

Faculty of Arts convocation will see the 250,000th grad cross the stage

The Faculty of Arts will host three convocation ceremonies today in the Physical Activities Complex. 1,247 undergraduates, 171 Master's, and 22 PhD candidates will cross the stage to receive their degrees, diplomas, and certificates. You can watch the Convocation livestream on the Convocation website.

One graduand who crosses the stage at some point today will represent the 250,000th graduate of the University of Waterloo, bringing the ever-growing alumni family to the quarter-million mark. 

Morning Ceremony (10:00 a.m.)

Michael Klein will sing the national anthem.

Jessica Thompson will bear the mace.

Ahmed Ehab Khalil will deliver the valedictory address. Read more about Ahmed in Waterloo News.

Afternoon Ceremony (2:30 p.m.)

Michael Klein will sing the national anthem.

Geoffrey Fong will bear the mace.

Colin MacLeod will be named Distinguished Professor Emeritus. Dr. Colin MacLeod retired in 2022 from the Department of Psychology after 19 years of service preceded by 25 years of service at the University of Toronto. MacLeod is recognized as one of the foremost experts in the world on the subject of attention, learning, and memory. His excellence in scholarship has been recognized in numerous ways including being an elected fellow of the Association for Psychological Science, the American Psychological Association, the Psychonomic Society, the Canadian Psychological Association, and the Canadian Society for Brain, Behaviour, and Cognitive Science. In 2016, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.

Bradley D. Regehr will receive a Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, and address convocation. Bradley J. Regehr is a member of the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation in Saskatchewan. He earned his Honours BA in History from the University of Waterloo in 1993, and his LLB from the University of Manitoba in 1996. He was called to the Bar in 1997 and is presently a partner at Maurice Law, and King’s Counsel in the Province of Manitoba. Regehr has served as president of the Manitoba Bar Association, and president of the Canadian Bar Association, the first Indigenous lawyer to hold these offices. His work includes educating all Canadians about Indigenous issues and building cultural competency to address trauma.

Lowenna Olowo Barungi will deliver the valedictory address. Read more about Lowenna in Waterloo News.

Gillian Adrianne Wagenaar will be named the University Finalist for the Governor General's Gold Medal at the Master's level.

Imogen Moira Sloss will receive the Governor General's Academic Silver Medal for highest standing in an undergraduate degree program.

Isobel Charlotte Flindall will receive the University of Waterloo Alumni Gold Medal for outstanding academic achievement.

Evening Ceremony (6:30 p.m.)

Julie-Anne Desrochers will sing the national anthem.

Duane Kennedy will bear the mace.

Donna Sutherland will be named Honorary Member of the University. Donna Sutherland joined the University of Waterloo in 1982 serving in the Distance Education Office. Over the next 38 years she also served in the Registrar’s Office as well as the faculties of Health and Arts. Sutherland’s career culminated with close to 20 years as the administrative officer for the School of Accounting and Finance. She served admirably during a period of significant growth in programs, staff and faculty, and her impact continues as staff she mentored serve across campus. Delaying her retirement to help navigate the pandemic, Sutherland retired in 2020 after multiple decades of exemplary service to the University.

Patricia O’Brien be named Distinguished Professor Emerita. Dr. Patricia O’Brien is one of the most highly regarded accounting scholars in Canada. Named Ernst & Young Professor of Accounting in 2004, she retired from the School of Accounting and Finance after 20 years of service. O’Brien is known worldwide for her research related to financial analysts as information intermediaries, a field she pioneered in the 1980s. Her notable publishing contributions include the co-authored textbook, "Financial Accounting Theory," used internationally, and her role as editor-in-chief of Contemporary Accounting Research, a premier accounting journal. O’Brien was the first woman recipient of the prestigious Haim Falk Award for Distinguished Contribution to Accounting Thought by the Canadian Academic Accounting Association.

Alan Webb will receive the title Distinguished Professor Emeritus. Dr. Alan Webb retired from the School of Accounting and Finance after 23 years of service. He is one of the most prolific and widely acknowledged scholars on motivating, assessing and rewarding employee performance through the management control system of an organization. His primary research examines behavioural consequences of system control elements such as targets, incentive schemes and the motivational effects of non-cash rewards. Dr. Webb has received the Lifetime Contribution to Management Accounting Award from the American Accounting Association’s Management Accounting Section, the L.S. Rosen Outstanding Educator Award from the Canadian Academic Accounting Association, and Waterloo’s Outstanding Performance Award in 2013 and 2011, along with numerous other research awards.

Christine Wiedman will receive the title Distinguished Professor Emerita. Dr. Christine Wiedman is a highly regarded and widely published accounting scholar and an expert in understanding how capital markets rely on accounting information. Wiedman has provided input and oversight into the activities of standard setters by serving on the Academic Advisory Council to the Accounting Standards Board from 2005 to 2017 and the Accounting Standards Oversight Council since 2017. In her 28-year career, she has received the distinction of Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Ontario, the University of Waterloo’s Outstanding Performance Award in Teaching and Scholarship, and numerous other best-paper and teaching awards. In 20 20, Wiedman was recognized with the L.S. Rosen Outstanding Educator Award.

Natasha J. Chen will deliver the valedictory address. Read more about Natasha in Waterloo News.

At the evening ceremony, University Secretary Genevieve Gauthier-Chalifour will present Dominic Barton for the conferment of the title Chancellor Emeritus. "As Barton concludes his term, his contributions to the global business community continue to resonate," says an article published on Waterloo News. "Barton has highlighted the scarcity of talent globally and the significant returns on talent we see when we invest in educational and technological advancements."

"Barton is a staunch advocate for Waterloo and experiential education, recognizing its critical role in bridging the talent gap in the business world. He believes that Waterloo exemplifies this approach through its extensive co-operative education program, which blends academic learning with real-world experience."

Alexander Cameron Walker will receive the Governor General's Academic Gold Medal for Highest standing in a Doctoral program. "Dr. Alexander Cameron Walker completed a PhD in Psychology under the supervision of Drs. Jonathan Fugelsang and Derek Koehler," says a recent Waterloo News story. "Walker’s doctoral research examined the consequences of linguistic choices, demonstrating how the strategic use of euphemistic (agreeable) and dysphemistic (disagreeable) terms shape peoples’ moral evaluations of actions, particularly when act details are ambiguous. Despite this persuasive influence, he finds that speakers can utilize euphemistic and dysphemistic terms in an honest way, being judged as far more trustworthy and moral than liars. Likewise, in the political domain, liberals and conservatives alike judged speakers more positively when describing events using politically biased as opposed to politically neutral language. Thus, in politically homogenous social networks, individuals and organizations may be incentivized to describe reality in a politically biased manner...Walker’s research reveals how partisan language, while praised by political in-group members, exacerbates political polarization, damaging trust and amplifying disagreement across political divides. Walker is currently a Banting Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Cognitive, Linguistic and Psychological Sciences at Brown University."

Waterloo alum Benjie Thomas named next CEO of KPMG Canada

By Rachel Doherty. This article was originally published on the School of Accounting and Finance website.

Congratulations to School of Accounting and Finance graduate Benjie Thomas (PDAcc '98) who has just been announced as the next CEO for KPMG Canada, effective October 1, 2024.

This well-deserved advancement reflects Thomas’ significant contributions and leadership within the organization.

From his early days at the University of Waterloo and the School of Accounting and Finance (SAF), Thomas showcased remarkable talent both as a tenacious athlete and a promising young professional. His career at KPMG began during his co-op role in the audit practice and he quickly advanced to become a key player in the transaction services practice.

Beyond his professional achievements, Benjie generously donates his time and expertise as a member of the CPA Ontario Council, continuously inspiring his peers and colleagues in the industry.

Thomas’ is also a member of the SAF Director’s Advisory Council which serves to advise the School, through the Director, on issues that have the most significant impact on the accomplishment of the School's goals, including long-term planning and special initiatives.

Thomas' contributions were recognized in 2021 with the SAF Alumni Achievement Award, highlighting his impact on the accounting and finance fields.

Thomas is a dedicated philanthropist and his generous donations to SAF significantly benefit our students. The endowments he established fund four annual scholarships for SAF students and athletes, underscoring his commitment to supporting future leaders in accounting and finance. His philanthropic leadership has helped us to provide world-class education enabling our students to make meaningful contributions in their careers.

“Align yourself with your values, understand what those values are and what drives you,”says Thomas. For him, those values have always been tremendous work ethic, always do the right thing above all else and lastly, be generous with your time and your money.

On behalf of the entire SAF community, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to Benjie Thomas on his future role as CEO of KPMG Canada.

Reception held for PhD candidates

A message from Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA).

On Wednesday, June 5, Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs hosted a dinner reception for spring 2024 doctoral graduates, their guests, and supervisors. 

Held at Federation Hall, the event celebrated the successes of the graduating doctoral students, who have achieved doctoral degrees through their hard work and perseverance. These doctoral graduates have made a tremendous contribution to the University of Waterloo through research, teaching, and commitment to their graduate community.