Approximately 505 students will graduate from ������Ƶ Allison University during Spring Convocation ceremonies being held on Monday, May 11, 2026 in Convocation Hall.

Science, Commerce, and Arts and Science (Health Studies) graduates will receive their degrees during the morning ceremony at 9:30 a.m., while Arts, Fine Arts, and Music degrees will be conferred during the afternoon ceremony at 2:30 p.m.

The first three graduates of ������Ƶ Allison’s Bachelor of Arts and Science in interdisciplinary health studies will cross the stage in the morning ceremony. The new degree program launched in Fall 2022 and sees the graduates pursuing a range of healthcare areas, including public health, epidemiology, public policy, and midwifery.

������Ƶ Allison University Chancellor George L. Cooper, K.C., and President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Ian Sutherland will preside over the ceremonies. This will be Cooper’s first Convocation as Chancellor, following his official installation on March 24, 2026. 

������Ƶ Allison will also confer honorary degrees on four accomplished individuals representing a wide range of experiences, contributions, and fields. This year’s honorary degree recipients are:

• John H. McCall MacBain, O.C. — Entrepreneur and philanthropist; co-founder of the McCall MacBain Foundation
• Dr. Marcy McCall MacBain — Health scholar and philanthropist; co-founder of the McCall MacBain Foundation
• Gerald MacGarvie (’68) — ������Ƶ Allison alumnus, philanthropist, and President of the Crabtree Foundation
• Phil Richards — Renowned Canadian artist and public figure 

John H. McCall MacBain and Dr. Marcy McCall MacBain will deliver the Convocation Address during the morning ceremony, while Phil Richards will speak during the afternoon ceremony. Biographies of this year’s honorary degree recipients are available at mta.ca/honorarydegrees.

Honours international relations graduate Daniel Henniger of Port Williams, N.S. will address the Class of 2026 as Valedictorian. Selected by his peers for the role, Henniger says serving as Valedictorian is a meaningful honour.

“Getting to serve as Valedictorian for the Class of 2026 means the world to me,” says Henniger. “From my first day on campus to these final few weeks, I feel grateful knowing that this school has laid the foundation in helping me become the person I am today.”

Several faculty members will also be recognized for their achievements during Convocation. Ron Joyce Centre for Business Studies Associate Professor Dr. Rachelle Pascoe-Deslauriers is the recipient of the Tucker Teaching Award, the University’s highest teaching honour, while Dr. Susie Andrews, professor in the visual and material culture studies program, will receive the 2026 Paul Paré Medal of Excellence for outstanding teaching, research, scholarship, and/or creative activities.

������Ƶ Allison will hold several events on campus for graduates and their families over the weekend, including the annual East Coast Kitchen Party with Signal Hill on Friday night at Jennings Hall, along with Alumni Reunion events, and the Grace Annie Lockhart Sesquicentennial Pin Ceremony on Sunday, May 10. 

For more information about Convocation, please visit mta.ca/convocation.