Spring 2025 Honorary Degree and Order of the University of Calgary recipients announced

Dinos football and basketball legends; leaders in energy, health care and education; the head of a Calgary non-profit that has impacted thousands of lives.

This diverse group is set to receive either an Honorary Degree or the Order of the University of Calgary at spring convocation, Chancellor Jon Cornish and President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Ed McCauley have announced.

Hon. LLD recipients

The Honorary Degree is UCalgary’s highest academic honour, acknowledging individuals whose outstanding achievements and contributions to the community deserve special recognition. The recipients will address to the graduating class, sharing insights and lessons from their distinguished careers and leadership experiences.

Patrick Carlson, BSc (Eng)’75, Hon. LLD’25 

Conferral and address – June 4, afternoon ceremony

Patrick Carlson earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Calgary in 1975. Over the past 50 years, he has become a prominent engineer and entrepreneur in the Canadian oil and gas business. 

Since 1998, he and various partners founded five successful startup energy companies. Each company found success both financially and through their positioning as leaders in responsible oil and gas development, community relations, and environmental stewardship. 

Carlson credits his success to his education from UCalgary and to the business environment that encourages entrepreneurs in Alberta. 

Carlson and his wife of more than 50 years, Connie, who is also a UCalgary alum (BSc’92), are dedicated to environmental protection. Together, they have promoted environmental causes through direct community engagement and philanthropy. 

Their contributions have also benefited the Schulich School of Engineering and the Strengths in ADHD program at the Werklund School of Education. 

Carlene Donnelly, Hon. LLD’25 

Conferral and address – June 6, morning ceremony 

Carlene Donnelly has served as CEO of CUPS from 2003 to 2024, leading its transformation into one of Canada’s most respected social-service organizations. Under her leadership, CUPS grew from a grassroots charity into a $17.4-million, multi-service agency offering trauma-informed, science-driven supports in health, housing and child development. 

Donnelly’s innovative two-generational approach to care, rooted in her research and accountability, redefined how services are delivered to vulnerable populations.

She spearheaded two successful capital campaigns, launched groundbreaking tools like the CUPS Resiliency Assessment, and helped position CUPS as a national leader in impact and innovation. 

As a respected advisor to government, academia and community initiatives, Donnelly has shaped policy and practice across sectors. Her work has earned widespread acclaim, including the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal and four consecutive Top 10 Impact Charity designations from Charity Intelligence. 

Her legacy continues in the lives changed and systems transformed by her vision.

Order of the University of Calgary recipients

The Order of the University of Calgary is awarded to individuals with a significant history of service to the university. Recipients may include current or former members of the UCalgary community.

Dr. Marcello Tonelli, MD

Presentation – June 5, morning ceremony 

Dr. Marcello Tonelli is a nephrologist, professor and clinician-scientist at UCalgary, whose research has transformed care for people with chronic kidney diseases.

He has held several national leadership roles including chair emeritus of the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care and past president of the Canadian Society of Nephrology. 

Internationally, Tonelli served as a volunteer with the World Health Organization (WHO) and established the Pan American Health Organization/WHO Collaborating Centre on Chronic Kidney Disease. 

Tonelli is president of the International Society of Nephrology and a fellow of both the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences and Royal Society of Canada. 

He is a Killam Professor and has been named a “Highly Cited researcher by Thomson-Reuters Web of Science since 2015. 

His many other honours include the National Kidney Foundation’s Medal for Distinguished Service, the Kidney Foundation of Canada’s Medal for Research Excellence and the King Charles III Coronation Medal. 

Wayne Thomas, BA’67 

Presentation – June 9, afternoon ceremony

Wayne Thomas is an educator, coach and lifelong advocate for Canadian basketball who has played a key role in developing the sport in Calgary and beyond. 

A standout athlete in basketball, he was part of the 1965-66 Dinos Men’s Varsity Basketball team that won the Canada West title and reached the national final. 

Thomas spent more than 30 years teaching, counselling and coaching at Calgary high schools, including Crescent Heights, Western Canada and William Aberhart. He coached the UCalgary Dinos men’s basketball team across two stints and has been a driving force behind the Dinos Basketball Foundation and 6th Man Club. 

As editor of the 6th Man News for more than 15 years, he’s provided in-depth coverage of Canadian university basketball and its athletes. 

A Dinos Hall of Fame inductee, he was recently named honorary chair of the 2026 U SPORTS men’s basketball Final 8 championship.

Wayne Harris, Jr., BPE’81 

Presentation – June 10, morning ceremony 

Wayne Harris, Jr., has dedicated more than 45 years to the UCalgary Dinos football program, serving as a player, assistant coach, defensive co-ordinator and head coach between 1977 and 2023. 

As assistant coach and defensive co-ordinator, he helped guide the Dinos to eight Hardy Cups, four Mitchell Bowls and four Vanier Cup appearances, including the 1995 national championship. As head coach, he led the team to a further three Hardy Cups, two Mitchell Bowls and a 2019 Vanier Cup title, earning Canada West Coach of the Year honours three times and the national Frank Tindall Trophy in 2015. 

A UCalgary alum and standout athlete in football and wrestling, Harris was a three-time Canada West all-star and 1980 conference champion in his weight class. 

The son of Canadian Football Hall of Famer Wayne “Thumper” Harris, he built his own legacy as a leader, mentor and builder in the university’s athletics community.

Esmail Bharwani, LLB’04 

Presentation – June 10, afternoon ceremony 

Esmail Bharwani is a retired tax lawyer, chartered professional accountant, columnist, philanthropist and lifelong learner who has dedicated more than four decades to education and community service. 

A longtime instructor with UCalgary’s Continuing Education, he guided more than 5,000 adult learners and contributed to the development of innovative programs. He has also served on the University Senate and numerous committees, always driven by a belief in education’s power to uplift individuals and communities. 

Through the Esmail Safana Farzana Fayaz Bharwani Foundation, he and his wife, Safana, support mature students across Alberta, distributing more than 110 awards annually. 

Bharwani has also served on the Canada Revenue Agency Board of Management, the Calgary Public Library Board and the Alberta Multicultural Commission. 

His contributions have earned national recognition, including a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals, and fellowships from both the Certified General Accountants Association and Chartered Professional Accountants, Alberta.

Submit a nomination for UCalgary’s highest honours

Do you know someone whose leadership, creativity or service has made a profound and lasting impact? UCalgary’s Honorary Degree and Order of the University of Calgary honours celebrate individuals who reflect the university’s values through meaningful contributions to society. Learn how to nominate someone for an Honorary Degree or the Order of the University of Calgary for the Fall 2025 convocation. 

To learn more about current and past recipients, as well as other UCalgary convocation traditions, visit the convocation website. Nominations for ⁠Honorary Degree and ⁠Order of the University of Calgary recipients are open year-round. Nominate someone who has made significant contributions to their field or to our community.