Graduation Celebrations

June 21, 2021

Good morning everyone,

I want to start by acknowledging that Carleton University is situated on the unceded and unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Nation. Today, June 21, is National Indigenous Peoples Day, and June is National Indigenous History Month. It is our shared responsibility to learn and acknowledge the truth about our history and to work towards a better future. Carleton University honours and celebrates First Nations, Inuit and Métis cultures.

This week we also celebrate the tremendous accomplishments of the Carleton class of 2021, the largest graduating class in our history at well over 6,000 strong!

Let me offer all my congratulations to each and every one of the undergraduate and graduate students who have completed their degrees under truly challenging circumstances. Well done!

And, as always, all my thanks to our faculty and staff whose creativity, flexibility and compassion greatly contributed to their success. Thank you!

As we did last year, Carleton is hosting virtual graduation celebrations throughout the week. With sincere thanks to everyone involved in ensuring that our students have a terrific online experience, I encourage our entire community to visit our Graduation Celebration website.

The day where in-person Convocation ceremonies will again be possible is not that far away, and we will make sure that all students in the graduating classes of 2020 and 2021 have an opportunity to cross the stage to the cheers of their loved ones.

Leading up to our celebrations, Carleton presented honorary degrees last week to seven distinguished Canadians, selected for their amazing contributions to their chosen fields and to Canadian society.

This year’s recipients include Senator Wanda Thomas Bernard, architect Harriet Burdett-Moulton, journalist Chantal Hébert, investor and philanthropist Stephen A. Jarislowsky, business leader Monique Leroux, Supreme Court Justice Sheilah L. Martin and psychologist June B. Pimm.

Please click on their names to watch their recorded remarks. I know all of our graduating students and indeed our entire community will appreciate their words of wisdom.

Enjoy a wonderful week in celebration of our graduates!

Benoit

Benoit-Antoine Bacon
President and Vice-Chancellor