WATERLOO, Ont. (Thursday, Oct. 21, 2010) - The University of Waterloo will graduate 1,707 students as well as award an honorary doctorate to His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, at fall convocation on Saturday.
As former president of the University of Waterloo, His Excellency is among four people being honoured at convocation. Also, Canadian Olympian Heather Moyse, a Waterloo graduate who won a gold medal at the Vancouver Winter Olympics, will receive an alumni achievement award from the faculty of applied health sciences.
A total of 908 undergraduates and 799 graduate students will receive their degrees and diplomas during the morning and afternoon ceremonies at the Physical Activities Complex.
"Convocation is a very proud moment for both the graduates and their families because it marks the end of a long journey filled with hard work and accomplishments," said registrar Ken Lavigne. "The University of Waterloo is pleased to honour our graduating students' commitment and dedication to academic success."
At convocation, His Excellency David Johnston, ranked among the most respected and admired educators and public servants in Canada, will receive an honorary doctor of laws degree. As a former president of the university, he will also be recognized as a president emeritus. He will address graduating students in the faculties of applied health sciences and arts. The ceremony begins at 10 a.m. in the Physical Activities Complex.
During his 11-year tenure at Waterloo, His Excellency oversaw unprecedented growth in the university’s reputation, teaching and research resources, as well as its leadership capabilities. He is credited for putting the university and the surrounding region on the national map as a centre for talent, ideas and innovation through his vision of a knowledge capital that raised the sights of Waterloo to aspire to world leadership.
He also demonstrated the value of collaboration among academics, government, philanthropists and business to boost community building and economic development.
At the same ceremony, Moyse will receive the alumni achievement award for inspiring her peers, other young alumni, recent graduates and current students through her significant contributions since graduating in 2000. Last February, Moyse and her teammate, Kaillie Humphries, won Canada’s first ever women’s bobsleigh gold medal at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics.
Moyse has also served in many volunteer and public service roles, including as a disability sports program officer with the Commonwealth Games Canada and as the founder of a camp for children who are deaf or hearing-impaired called Camp ABLE (Active Bodies, Leadership and Esteem).
As well at the same ceremony, Catharine Scott, former associate provost, human resources and student services, will be made an honorary member of the university. In a career spanning more than 36 years at Waterloo, Scott made significant contributions through her long-standing participation on university-level committees on staff relations, staff compensation, and pensions and benefits.
To provide a safe and healthy environment for students to study and grow, Scott created a framework for first-year orientation. Student Life 101 in the summer and special campus days during the year allowed parents to come to Waterloo and learn about the university and the many services available to their sons and daughters.
In convocation's afternoon ceremony, Ronald Graham, who holds the Irwin and Joan Jacobs Endowed Chair in Computer and Information Science at the University of California at San Diego, will receive an honorary doctor of mathematics. Graham is one of the world’s most eminent scholars in the field of discrete mathematics and his contributions have had a major impact on the development of computer science, combinatorics and optimization.
In 1978, he was granted a Guinness World Record for the largest number ever used in a mathematical proof, known as “Graham's number.” He will address graduating students in the faculties of engineering, environment, mathematics and science. The event starts at 2 p.m. in the Physical Activities Complex.
Also at the ceremony, Pingkai Ouyang, president of the Nanjing University of Technology in China, will receive an honorary doctor of engineering. He is one of the most prominent researchers and educators in biochemical engineering in the world, as well as a pioneer and leader in Chinese biochemical engineering. Under his leadership, Nanjing University of Technology has formed a formal collaborative research and education relationship with the University of Waterloo.
