REGINA — During its Spring Convocation ceremonies, the University of Regina will be awarding four honorary degrees, the highest honour it can bestow. Each of these exceptional individuals has made significant contributions to their fields and to our province, embodying the values of leadership, service, and excellence that define the University of Regina.
This year’s Spring Convocation ceremonies will be held on June 11 (2 p.m.), 12 (9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.), and 13 (2 p.m.) in the gymnasium in the Centre for Kinesiology & Health Studies.
On Wednesday, June 11, Russ Mirasty will be awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws honoris causa (LLD). Mirasty, a member of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band, was Saskatchewan’s first Indigenous lieutenant governor. Prior to that, he had a 36-year career with the RCMP, where he rose to assistant commissioner. His legacy is defined by his commitment to reconciliation, community service, and bridging gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.
The morning of Thursday, June 12, Dr. Jim Tomkins will be awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws honoris causa (LLD). Tomkins has been a cornerstone of the University of Regina for more than five decades. He has served the University as a professor, administrator, president, vice-president, and chancellor. Deeply committed to education and community, he supports numerous philanthropic causes, leaving a lasting legacy of service and generosity.
The afternoon of Thursday, June 12 Dr. Lillian Eva Quan Dyck, OC, will be awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science honoris causa (DSc). Dyck is a pioneering neuroscientist and former Senator. She is recognized as the first Indigenous woman in Canada to earn a PhD in the sciences and the first female Indigenous Senator. Throughout her career, she has championed Indigenous and women's rights, contributing to critical legislative changes and inspiring future generations in science and advocacy.
On Friday, June 13 Don Hall will be awarded an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts honoris causa (DFA). Hall served as the University of Regina’s photographer for more than four decades. In that time, he created an extraordinary visual archive that captured the spirit, people, and history of the campus. Beyond the University, he is recognized as one of Saskatchewan’s leading fine art photographers, with his work exhibited nationally and held in major collections.
