Queen’s graduands will be returning to campus with their families and friends starting this week as this year’s Spring Convocation ceremonies start on Thursday, May 25.

The ceremonies will continue through to Friday, June 9, with a total of 21 ceremonies being held. All ceremonies are being held at Grant Hall with the exception of the two on Tuesday, May 30, which will be held at the Athletics and Recreation Centre (ARC).

During Spring Convocation Queen’s will be conferring 11 honorary degrees. The recipients are:

• James Rutka (Meds’81), professor in the Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, and pediatric neurosurgeon Thursday, May 25 at 2:30 pm.
• Stephen J.R. Smith (Sc’72), Canadian financial services entrepreneur and philanthropist, Tuesday, May 30 at 2:30 pm.
• Gururaj (PhD’79) and Jaishree Deshpande, entrepreneurs and philanthropists, Wednesday, May 31 at 10 am.
• Sir David Skegg, epidemiologist and public health physician, and former Vice-Chancellor of   the University of Otago in New Zealand, Friday, June 2 at 10 am.
• Professor, the Lord Alderdice former Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly, member of the House of Lords, Monday, June 5 at 10 am.
• Otto Naumann, art expert specializing in Old Master paintings, Tuesday, June 6 at 10 am.
• Frank McKenna, former premier of New Brunswick and former Canadian ambassador to the U.S., Tuesday, June 6 at 2:30 pm.
• Arthur McDonald, Queen’s professor emeritus and Nobel laureate, Wednesday, June 7 at 10 am.
• Fredy Peccerelli, forensic anthropologist and human rights activist, Thursday, June 8 at 10 am.
• Donald Bayne (Arts’66, Law’69, EMBA’01), lawyer and former Queen’s Gaels quarterback, Friday, June 9 at 2:30 pm.

Justice Kin Kee Pang (Arts’70), a member of Hong Kong’s senior judiciary, received an honorary degree on May 20 in Hong Kong.

A live feed of each ceremony will begin approximately 15 minutes before the scheduled start of each event. 

More information about Spring Convocation is available on the website of the Office of the University Registrar, including a full schedule of the ceremonies.