Convocation
June 8, 2007
U of C celebrates Kosovo’s newest educators
Convocation 2007 welcomes 4,400 to alumni family
This year’s Faculty of Education convocation ceremony will mark the graduation of a group of nine Kosovar students who studied at the University of Calgary in the aftermath of violent civil conflict in the Balkans, which destroyed much the region’s education system.
The nine graduates are the first to receive Master of Education degrees earned through the faculty’s distance option as part of the Kosovo Educator Development Program, a six-year, $17.5-million CIDA-funded initiative that partnered U of C’s Faculty of Education researchers with local educators to create a modern, sustainable “Made in Kosovo” education system.
The Faculty of Education ceremony, which takes place Friday, June 15, at 2 pm, is one of nine Spring Convocation ceremonies at U of C running from June 11-15.
The Kosovo program wrapped up earlier this year. It has been assessed by external evaluators as one of Canada’s best interventions worldwide in the last 25 years.
With their degrees, these young men and women are set to become the new wave of instructors at the University of Pristina (Kosovo’s capital) where they will work in a number of faculties, including the newly re-constructed Faculty of Education, which the U of C helped to re-establish following the conflict as part of the Kosovo development initiative.
Over the next few years, U of C’s Kosovo graduates are expected to play an integral role in their country’s re-construction and lead change in southeastern Europe using the ideas they learned from their professors and classmates at the University of Calgary.
All the graduation ceremonies are open to the media.
Note: The nine Kosovo graduates will not be in Calgary for the convocation ceremony but arrangements can be made to interview them in Kosovo. Photos and bios are available.
Broadcast media note: Kosovo graduates can be interviewed via videoconference with advance notice; see contact information below to make arrangements.
WHAT: The University of Calgary’s Spring convocation ceremonies.
Monday, June 11 at 2 pm
Honorary degree recipient: Camille Dow Baker, MEDes ‘00, a promoter of clean water technologies in developing countries
Student graduates: Schulich School of EngineeringTuesday, June 12 at 9:30 am
Honorary degree recipient: Don Taylor, past president of Engineered Air
Student graduates: Kinesiology, Medicine and ScienceTuesday, June 12 at 2 pm
Honorary degree recipient: Hermann Maurer, an internationally known computer scientist
Student graduates: ScienceWednesday, June 13 at 9:30 am
Honorary degree recipient: Denise Donlon, former MuchMusic vice-president and general manager
Student graduates: Social ScienceWednesday, June 13 at 2 pm
No Honorary degree recipient. Keynote speaker is: Kent Hehr, BA'97, LLB'01, a powerful advocate for people with disabilities.
Student graduates: Social ScienceThursday, June 14 at 9:30 am
Honorary degree recipient: Murray McLauchlan, one of Canada’s best songwriting performers
Student graduates: Fine Arts, Humanities and NursingThursday, June 14 at 2 pm
Honorary degree recipient: Randall Gossen, BSc ’69, PhD ’73, a leader in public consultation, community affairs programs and corporate social responsibility
Student graduates: Haskayne School of BusinessFriday, June 15 at 9:30 am
Honorary degree recipient: Michel Dallaire, an independent designer
Student graduates: Communication and Culture, Environmental Design and Social WorkFriday, June 15 at 2 pm
Honorary degree recipient: James O’Reilly, a lawyer who has been involved in a number of landmark cases representing Aboriginal Peoples
Student graduates: Education
WHERE
Jack Simpson Gymnasium, in the Kinesiology complex, at the U of C.
For a map of campus, see www.ucalgary.ca/map.
Media Contact:
Meghan Sired
Media Relations
External Relations
University of Calgary
Phone 220-4756, cell, 852-5047, or 220-3506, or cell 540-7306.