UVic Grads Celebrate High Marks and Big Dreams
More than 3,800 students will graduate
at UVic’s spring 2002 convocation this week. During the seven ceremonies
in the University Centre Farquhar Auditorium, UVic Chancellor Dr. Norma
Mickelson will award degrees, diplomas and certificates as follows:
June 5, 9 a.m. — education
June 5, 12:30 p.m. — social sciences
June 5, 4 p.m. — law, social sciences, continuing studies
June 6, 10 a.m. — business, engineering
June 6, 2:30 p.m. — humanities
June 7, 10 a.m. — fine arts, science
June 7, 2:30 p.m. — human & social development
Honorary degrees will also be conferred on seven lifetime achievers. They are:
Julie Payette, astronaut (June 5, 9 a.m.)
Char Davies, digital artist (June 5, 12:30 p.m.)
Dr. Lloyd Axworthy, politician, statesman and academic (June 5, 4 p.m.)
Dr. Julia Levy, Vancouver immunologist (June 6, 10 a.m.)
Peter C. Newman, journalist and writer (June 6, 2:30 p.m.)
Dr. Robert Murray, microbiologist (June 7, 10 a.m.)
Loreen Vandekerkhove, community volunteer (June 7, 2:30 p.m.)
Below is a selection of this year’s special students:
Electrical engineering master’s grad Dean Lowe has won the Lieutenant Governor’s Silver Medal for his design of a special camera for use during breast cancer surgery.
Media contact: 652-9716 or dean.lowe@canada.com
A year ago, pianist Jonathan Klassen set his sights on the university’s top undergrad award. His talent and determination paid off. He’s won the Governor General’s Silver Medal (top undergrad, all faculties) and Victoria Medal as the top fine arts student.
Media contact: 472-3248 or jek@uvic.ca
For his master’s thesis in history, Saanich mayor Frank Leonard dispelled an old myth about the origins of B.C. Ferries. His fellow students accepted him, he says “even though during class breaks I was the only guy in the hallway wearing a tie and talking on my cell phone.” Media contact: 475-5510 (office), 361-7441 (cell), 479-6710 (home)
Later this month new leisure administration grad Simon Ibell will cycle the Island highway to raise awareness for MPS, a genetic enzyme deficiency. Ibell, who was born with MPS, says: “I’ve chosen to not worry about what I don’t have and instead be thankful for all that I do.” Media contact: 595-1800
In September, Ben Berger will begin a year as clerk to Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin. He’s won the Law Society Gold Medal. Media contact: 595-6244
Physics and astronomy grad Louis Desroches has won the Jubilee Medal for Science. He’s also among a select group of national recipients of the Julie Payette-NSERC scholarship ($25,000/year for two years). Media contact: 721-3426 or 472-2649
From fake campfire singalongs to poetry cafés, Sharon Goodman enjoyed the freedom to try anything during her teaching internship at Gordon Head Elementary. She’s the winner of the Maxwell A. Cameron Memorial Medal in elementary education. Media contact: 727-9885 or 888-9860 (cell)
A former top graduate from Courtenay’s GP Vanier High School, Alison Meynert uses superior math skills to lead her male-dominated computer science class. She’s won the Computer Science Graduation Medal. Media contact: 472-2796
Alexis Eller, an Oak Bay High grad, is also a past winner of the premier’s award for young women in science. She begins a job at Microsoft in Seattle this fall. She’s won the IEEE Medal in Electrical Engineering. Media contact: 598-8445
Danny Jaswal has combined his job as a licensed paramedic with the B.C. Ambulance Service with a degree in microbiology in his quest for a career in medicine.
Media contact: 472-6978 or 389-4139 (pager)
Music and chemistry seem like an odd match, but for Ryan Sikkes, they make a perfect combination. He’s the winner of the Maxwell A. Cameron Memorial Medal in secondary education. Media contact: (250) 846-5335 (parents) or (604) 792-5833
Rob Fiorentino has lived life in the fast lane for the last 18 months as he and fellow engineering students built an open cockpit racecar from the ground up. Media contact: 721-2004
Education grad Laura Cranmer defended her master’s thesis in curriculum studies in the form of a play. It was her way of expressing the colonial history of her people, the Namgis First Nation. Media contact: (250) 752-3169 (Nanaimo)
Jordan Haas is the kind of person who gets a kick out of taking things apart and trying to figure out how they work. No surprise, then, that he’s won the Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering Medal. Media contact: (604) 718-8368 (work) or (604) 241-2049 (home)
June 5, 9 a.m. — education
June 5, 12:30 p.m. — social sciences
June 5, 4 p.m. — law, social sciences, continuing studies
June 6, 10 a.m. — business, engineering
June 6, 2:30 p.m. — humanities
June 7, 10 a.m. — fine arts, science
June 7, 2:30 p.m. — human & social development
Honorary degrees will also be conferred on seven lifetime achievers. They are:
Julie Payette, astronaut (June 5, 9 a.m.)
Char Davies, digital artist (June 5, 12:30 p.m.)
Dr. Lloyd Axworthy, politician, statesman and academic (June 5, 4 p.m.)
Dr. Julia Levy, Vancouver immunologist (June 6, 10 a.m.)
Peter C. Newman, journalist and writer (June 6, 2:30 p.m.)
Dr. Robert Murray, microbiologist (June 7, 10 a.m.)
Loreen Vandekerkhove, community volunteer (June 7, 2:30 p.m.)
Below is a selection of this year’s special students:
Electrical engineering master’s grad Dean Lowe has won the Lieutenant Governor’s Silver Medal for his design of a special camera for use during breast cancer surgery.
Media contact: 652-9716 or dean.lowe@canada.com
A year ago, pianist Jonathan Klassen set his sights on the university’s top undergrad award. His talent and determination paid off. He’s won the Governor General’s Silver Medal (top undergrad, all faculties) and Victoria Medal as the top fine arts student.
Media contact: 472-3248 or jek@uvic.ca
For his master’s thesis in history, Saanich mayor Frank Leonard dispelled an old myth about the origins of B.C. Ferries. His fellow students accepted him, he says “even though during class breaks I was the only guy in the hallway wearing a tie and talking on my cell phone.” Media contact: 475-5510 (office), 361-7441 (cell), 479-6710 (home)
Later this month new leisure administration grad Simon Ibell will cycle the Island highway to raise awareness for MPS, a genetic enzyme deficiency. Ibell, who was born with MPS, says: “I’ve chosen to not worry about what I don’t have and instead be thankful for all that I do.” Media contact: 595-1800
In September, Ben Berger will begin a year as clerk to Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin. He’s won the Law Society Gold Medal. Media contact: 595-6244
Physics and astronomy grad Louis Desroches has won the Jubilee Medal for Science. He’s also among a select group of national recipients of the Julie Payette-NSERC scholarship ($25,000/year for two years). Media contact: 721-3426 or 472-2649
From fake campfire singalongs to poetry cafés, Sharon Goodman enjoyed the freedom to try anything during her teaching internship at Gordon Head Elementary. She’s the winner of the Maxwell A. Cameron Memorial Medal in elementary education. Media contact: 727-9885 or 888-9860 (cell)
A former top graduate from Courtenay’s GP Vanier High School, Alison Meynert uses superior math skills to lead her male-dominated computer science class. She’s won the Computer Science Graduation Medal. Media contact: 472-2796
Alexis Eller, an Oak Bay High grad, is also a past winner of the premier’s award for young women in science. She begins a job at Microsoft in Seattle this fall. She’s won the IEEE Medal in Electrical Engineering. Media contact: 598-8445
Danny Jaswal has combined his job as a licensed paramedic with the B.C. Ambulance Service with a degree in microbiology in his quest for a career in medicine.
Media contact: 472-6978 or 389-4139 (pager)
Music and chemistry seem like an odd match, but for Ryan Sikkes, they make a perfect combination. He’s the winner of the Maxwell A. Cameron Memorial Medal in secondary education. Media contact: (250) 846-5335 (parents) or (604) 792-5833
Rob Fiorentino has lived life in the fast lane for the last 18 months as he and fellow engineering students built an open cockpit racecar from the ground up. Media contact: 721-2004
Education grad Laura Cranmer defended her master’s thesis in curriculum studies in the form of a play. It was her way of expressing the colonial history of her people, the Namgis First Nation. Media contact: (250) 752-3169 (Nanaimo)
Jordan Haas is the kind of person who gets a kick out of taking things apart and trying to figure out how they work. No surprise, then, that he’s won the Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering Medal. Media contact: (604) 718-8368 (work) or (604) 241-2049 (home)
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