UFV celebrates students, honorary doctorates, and community leaders at convocation

From classrooms and labs to community placements and research projects, the journeys of UFV’s Class of 2026 took many different paths. This week, those paths converged at convocation as graduates, families, friends, faculty, and community supporters gathered to celebrate a milestone that was years in the making. 

A total of 3,333 students graduated this year, with 1,817 crossing the stage. Almost 5,000 guests cheered them on during six ceremonies, held over three days. 

Overseeing his first convocation since being installed as UFV’s seventh president last fall, Dr. James Mandigo talked about the changemaking potential of the Class of 2026. 

“Today isn’t simply about receiving a credential. It’s about what that credential now makes possible,” he said. “Yours is not a generation called to merely inherit the world as it is, but to imagine with courage and compassion, trust and conviction, the world as it might yet be.  

“At UFV, we are proud to be internationally recognized as a changemaker campus, a place where education is not just about knowledge, but impact. A changemaker is someone who notices what’s needed and decides to not stay on the sidelines, and that’s what UFV has prepared you to be. The world needs graduates like you – bridge builders, problem solvers, and people who believe kindness and humanity matter.” 

James told graduates that they don’t need to have all the answers right now, but to bring hope, clarity, and care wherever they go. He urged them to remain open to learning and continue to grow, listen, and embrace the adventure that lies ahead. 

“The knowledge you carry is powerful,” he said. “It can strengthen communities, advance reconciliation, improve health and wellbeing, protect our planet, and create opportunities where none existed before.” 

Chancellor Q’um Q’um Xiiem Jo-ann Archibald welcomed friends and family to the university. 

“Few days in our lives stand out with such clarity as today does. This is a day to truly remember. We are celebrating, together, the culmination of months and years of hard work, countless hours, stress, and even some tears converge into this remarkable achievement and celebration,” Jo-ann said. “But it’s not just about the challenges and trials. Your UFV educational journey has been filled with learning, growth, newfound passions, and lifelong friendships. And joy. Yes, what a joy it is to learn and enrich our minds in a community of fellow scholars. Each of us has brought something unique to this shared experience, enriching it in countless ways.” 

UFV also recognized six leaders from a variety of backgrounds who have excelled in their field with honorary degrees at its Convocation ceremonies. 

Stó:lō matriarch Sel Ya:al – Nancy Patricia Charlie was recognized, along with Indigenous leader Chief Lenéx wí:ót – David Jimmie, accessibility advocate Rick Hansen, business leader Bob Hauser, philanthropist and community leader Paul Esposito, and SPARK Foundation founder Rochelle Prasad. 

At age 27, Rochelle is UFV’s youngest ever honorary degree recipient.    

In his address to the Class of 2026, Chief David Jimmie spoke of his mother, who planted the seeds that eventually rooted him in a career of leadership and community service.  

He urged graduates to listen to the quiet voices who believe in us before we believe in ourselves. 

“This generation has the greatest toolbox that any generation has ever had, with access to knowledge, technology, opportunities, and connections that previous generations could only imagine,” he noted. “Use your education to build something meaningful, use your voice to bring people together, use your talents in service of something greater than yourself.”  

UFV’s top academic students were recognized with Governor General’s medals, which go to the student with the highest grade-point average. The Governor General’s Gold Medal, for top student in a graduate degree program, went to Miranda Rosehill, who graduated with a Master of Social Work degree. The Governor General’s Silver Medalist was Anna Delooff, who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in sociology. The Governor General’s Bronze Medal went to Ryan Caswell, who graduated with a Computer Information Systems diploma. 

The Lieutenant Governor’s Medal is awarded to a student who has made outstanding contributions in support of inclusion, democracy, or reconciliation. This year’s recipient was Kiyah Price, who recently completed a Bachelor of Arts in sociology along with a Bachelor of Regional and Community Planning. 

Seven students were selected as Dean’s medalists for outstanding academic achievement in their respective faculty. Dean’s medalists for 2026 were Elizabeth Sallos (Education, Community, and Human Development), Ali Abdul Ghafoor (Health Sciences), Matthew Manire (Applied and Technical Studies), Amarnoor Kaur (Computing and Business), Matthew Miller (Science), Lauren Onderwater (Social Sciences), and Connor Rahn (Humanities). 

Six students represented their graduating class as speakers at the Convocation ceremonies: Shawn Arora, Daria Tsynda, Isabella Hooge, Rebekah Stokes, Samantha Cowx, and Mwenda Dyck.