Rick Stiebel/News Gazette staff
Paying tribute to women who create positive change is an integral part of the 42nd convocation at Royal Roads University.
The ceremony, which takes place Nov. 9 at the Royal Theatre in Victoria, will celebrate the achievements of 768 graduates receiving degrees, certificates or diplomas in the faculty of management, the faculty of social and applied sciences and the college of interdisciplinary studies.
The university will also award honorary degrees to two women who have made significant positive changes throughout their careers. Lt.-Gov. Judith Guichon will receive an honorary degree for her lifelong advocacy for environmental stewardship.
Kathy Kinloch, president of the British Columbia Institute of Technology, will receive one as well to acknowledge her work in the health care field and advocacy for women.
“With so many recent reminders of the importance of acting on our values of diversity and social action, it’s a great privilege for us to honour these women who champion change and empowerment,” said Royal Roads president and vice-chancellor Allan Cahoon.
“Convocation gives us the opportunity to celebrate our growing community of changemakers and to recognize that speaking out and supporting each other is more important than ever before.”
RRU chancellor Kathleen Birney will present the Chancellor’s Community Achievement Award to the Bridges for Women Society, which supports women impacted by violence and trauma who are breaking the cycles of abuse through healing and employment.
“Our graduates have spent their time at Royal Roads honing the skills and scholarship needed to tackle personal and professional goals while solving some of the most pressing problems of the day,” Cahoon continued.
“I have great faith in them, what they have learned and how they will apply their knowledge.”
The graduates will join the ranks of 25,600 RRU alumni worldwide.
The morning ceremony for graduates of the college of interdisciplinary studies and the faculty of social and applied sciences, with the conferring of Guichon’s degree, takes place at 9:30 a.m.
The ceremony for graduates of the faculty of management and the school of communication and culture is scheduled for 2 p.m.
It will include the conferring of Kinloch’s honorary degree, and the presentation of the chancellor’s award.
Both ceremonies will be available for live viewing on RRU’s broadcast channel.