Convocation Program

Unique Ceremonial Stole for Indigenous Graduates

Indigenous graduates will receive a unique stole with symbolic meaning. One side of the stole depicts the Dish with One Spoon Treaty Wampum Belt between the Haudenosaunee and Anishnaabe. This land is part of the Dish with One Spoon Treaty between the Haudenosaunee and Anishnaabe peoples and symbolizes the agreement to share, protect our resources and not to engage in conflict.

On the other side of the stole is the Office of Indigenous Initiatives logo. Based on the Haudenosaunee creation story, our logo reminds us of how the first seeds of life on Earth were planted on the back of a turtle. The inner segments of the dome represent the Anishnaabe (Ojibway) Seven Grandfather Teachings: love, respect, wisdom, bravery, truth, honesty and humility. The golden rays of the sun symbolize enlightenment, learning and new beginnings. The Métis beaded purple flower represents the gifts of plant life from the Skyworld, which encourage and sustain life. The entire design rests on the waters of life.

The Wilfrid Laurier University Mace

The mace of Wilfrid Laurier University was officially presented by the Euler family at the 1963 fall convocation in memory of The Honourable W.D. Euler, former senator of Canada and the first chancellor of the university. It weighs 16 pounds and was manufactured by the firm of Henry Birks Limited, Montreal.

The ferrule near the base of the shaft contains ivory from a walrus tusk obtained from Coral Harbour, Northwest Territories. The ten-sided shaft, representing the ten provinces, merges into the head of the mace which bears the ten provincial crests. The wood used at the point where the shaft meets the head of the mace is elm taken from the bannister post of Conrad Hall, the original seminary building. Above this are four crests relating to the history of the institution: a crest of Waterloo County, the Luther Coat of Arms, the crest of the Waterloo Lutheran Seminary and the coat of arms of the University of Western Ontario.

The head of the mace is made of maple and bears the Federal Coat of Arms, above which is the monogram of Queen Elizabeth II, during whose reign the university's charter was granted. On the reverse side is the crest of Wilfrid Laurier University and the monogram of King George V, during whose reign the original charter was granted. The top of the mace is a crown, mounted with jewels, symbolizing the authority of the State.

The Marshal's Baton

Dr. Fred Binding, a faculty member in the Department of Psychology for 32 years retired in July 2003. He had served as the university marshal for ten years. Sadly, Dr. Binding died in August 2003. In memory of his contribution to convocation ceremonies, artist Rex Lingwood was commissioned to create a marshal's baton.

In the baton, the artist incorporates a range of visual references that relate to the graduation ceremony, both directly and symbolically. In keeping with the nature of the ceremony, some of the forms are traditionally associated with ceremonial staffs, and the baton's design echoes the elaborate theatricality of the event and the flair brought to the occasion by Dr. Fred Binding. The ends may be read as abstracted figure forms wrapped in the academic gown and hood, with details symbolizing the life stage of the graduates. The Greek alphabet is inset into the internal side surface in the shaft of the baton. This is a reference to the interests of Dr. Fred Binding. It also acknowledges that language is at the core of university education and that the Greek language has particular importance in western culture.

The commission of the baton was made possible with the generous support of the Department of Psychology and Wilfrid Laurier's University Retirees' Association.

Bachelor's Degree

The bachelor’s degree is awarded at the honours, without honours or general specified, or the general level. An honours degree program emphasizes the acquisition of a broad and deep knowledge of the student’s chosen honours subject. The four-year bachelor's without honours or general is awarded to students who have met all honours course requirements and includes their specialization. A general degree program emphasizes a balance between an in-depth understanding of the student’s major subject and a knowledge and appreciation of other fields.

Master's Degree

The master’s degree is the second degree in higher education. Students complete concentrated and specialized work at a more advanced level in an academic discipline or professional area. Most course work is within the field of specialization and a research project or thesis is normally required. Some master’s degrees provide professional qualifications.

Doctoral Degree

The doctoral degree is the highest academic degree granted by a university. Candidates for the degree spend several years in the advanced study of a specialized field of knowledge. The capstone of the degree is the doctoral dissertation, an extended work based upon independent research. The dissertation demonstrates the candidate’s command of both the subject matter and the exacting methods of scholarship, and makes an original contribution to knowledge.

Ed Devlin

Honorary Doctor of Laws | Presented on Oct. 15, 1:30 p.m., Waterloo

Ed Devlin is the founder and managing partner of Devlin Capital, an investment firm focused on the global fixed income markets. A graduate of Laurier with a Bachelor of Business Administration, Devlin was awarded the university's Gold Medal for academic excellence. He earned an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. Before founding Devlin Capital, Devlin spent nearly 15 years at Pacific Investment Management Company (PIMCO) as a managing director and head of Canadian portfolio management. He co-founded PIMCO Canada, helping grow its assets to more than $50 billion from Canadian clients. He is a senior fellow at the C.D. Howe Institute. Devlin also chairs the endowment board of the Stratford Festival.

Jason Dunkerley

Honorary Doctor of Laws | Presented on Oct. 20, 2 p.m., Brantford

Jason Dunkerley is a celebrated Paralympian, author and advocate whose life story exemplifies resilience, perseverance and hope. Born blind due to Leber’s congenital amaurosis, a rare inherited eye condition, Dunkerley discovered running as a student and went on to build one of Canada’s most distinguished Paralympic track careers, earning five Paralympic medals in addition to his four world championship titles and multiple Parapan American Games medals. Dunkerley has overcome significant challenges throughout his life, including suffering injuries after being struck by a car, donating a kidney to a family member and coping with profound personal loss. His 2024 autobiography, Visions of Hope: Running Towards My Own Truth, reflects on these experiences with honesty and insight.

Governor General’s Gold Medal

Arash Rafat
Faculty of Science

Graduate Gold Medal for the Doctoral Level

Arash Rafat
Faculty of Science

Graduate Gold Medal for the Master’s Level

Waterloo

Natalie Liz Aldor
Faculty of Science

Laura Angeline Barron
Lyle S. Hallman Faculty of Social Work

Zoe Alexandra Ironstone Catterall
Faculty of Arts

David Alan Claeys
Faculty of Science

Guy Brandon Copegog
Lyle S. Hallman Faculty of Social Work

Valdrin Dragusha
Faculty of Arts

Gabriella Analena Ellingham
Lazaridis School of Business and Economics

Anissa Marie Francis
Faculty of Science

Zhenni Gu
Lazaridis School of Business and Economics

Jessie Lynn Kingma
Faculty of Education

Isabella Grace Murray
Faculty of Arts

Kelsey Rae Piche
Faculty of Education

Inderjit Singh Saini
Faculty of Arts

Yuvraj Sidhu
Lazaridis School of Business and Economics

Anastasia Olympia Townshend
School of International Policy and Governance

Natalia Grace Catherine Van Esch
Faculty of Science

Brantford

Michael Babin
Faculty of Human and Social Sciences

Alumni Gold Medal for the Undergraduate Level

Waterloo

Jason Campbell Barrick
Lazaridis School of Business and Economics

Amanda Lynn Braam
Faculty of Music

Erika Tin Wai Chow
Lazaridis School of Business and Economics

Kyle Anthony Andre Cornacchi
Lazaridis School of Business and Economics

Aleksa Andrianna Martino
Faculty of Arts

Joshua Jeffrey Milmine
Faculty of Science

Alexis Elizabeth Pankarican
Lazaridis School of Business and Economics

Suraj Rakesh
Lazaridis School of Business and Economics

Lydia Catherine Serbanescu
Faculty of Science

Nina Helena Wulff
Faculty of Science

Brantford

Clayton Joseph Harding
Faculty of Liberal Arts

Alexis Rhonda MacLennan Mckeen
Faculty of Human and Social Sciences

Sevval Betul Uyar
Lyle S. Hallman Faculty of Social Work

Alumni Bronze Medal for the Undergraduate Level

Laverne Good
Faculty of Arts

Alumni Association Welcome

Congratulations on your graduation – you made it! Today, we welcome you to the Wilfrid Laurier University Alumni Association (WLUAA).

You are now a member of a community of more than 140,000 proud graduates of Wilfrid Laurier University and its predecessors.

WLUAA represents all Laurier alumni, including you. We support Laurier with revenue from alumni services, such as group home, auto and life insurance, and an alumni affinity credit card.

WLUAA revenues help to fund alumni programs and events, university initiatives, student groups, and student scholarships.

The association’s mission is to engage and represent a community that supports and enriches our alumni, students, and the university. We share a vision for an inspiring community of engaged alumni.

You are alumni for life — your relationship with Laurier doesn’t end today. Stay connected as a proud grad and learn more at LaurierAlumni.ca.