Dear Graduates,
This year's Convocation was truly a memorable occasion to applaud your achievements and to highlight your dedication and perseverance in the midst of unique circumstances. Take pride in what you have accomplished and make time to thank all those who have helped you along the way. Although this chapter of your academic journey is completed, the milestone marks a new beginning for your next professional or academic endeavors. As you crossed the stage, you went from being a student to a University of Ottawa alumni – and a newly minted member of the large, international community of Faculty of Education graduates. You did it and we are proud of you. Congratulations!
The Faculty of Education spring Convocation ceremony for the main campus was held in Ottawa on June 7th at the Shaw Centre and graduates from our Faculty’s Windsor campus were also honored during a local Convocation ceremony held on June 11th in southwestern Ontario. Dean Richard Barwell presided over the in-person ceremony, along with school superintendents, professors and Windsor campus coordinators, all offering their congratulations and well-wishes to graduates.
Honorary Doctorate 2022
The Faculty of Education awarded an honorary doctorate to Mamokgethi Phakeng, PhD, in recognition of her remarkable leadership and accomplishments in post-secondary education as well as in her own field of mathematics education. Professor Phakeng has been a mathematics teacher, school principal, university professor, Dean, and Deputy Vice Chancellor, and is currently Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Town in South Africa. In her poignant convocation address, she told graduates: “Failure is vastly underrated. Everyone wants to run and hide from it. But failure is the essence of life. And here is the thing – the issue is not whether you will experience it or not, but us is whether you will be able to bounce back or not after it happened…Failing is how you get to success, how you become great.”
Professor Phakeng later dedicated her honorary doctorate to African women. “I want to dedicate this honorary doctorate to all the African women who paved the path for the freedom of people like myself," she said, "to dream big dreams and want to change the world for the better irrespective of how hard it may be. It gave us permission to dream big...”
“Failure is vastly underrated....Failing is how you get to success, how you become great.”
Mamokgethi Phakeng
— Vice-Chancellor, University of Cape Town
Prizes and Medals
The Faculty of Education awarded the following prizes and medals to graduates of 2022 for their exceptional academic achievements. Congratulations to all recipients who have demonstrated excellence during their time here at the Faculty.
Denos Fidele Akadan | Faculty of Education Personnel Prize – Anglophone undergraduate students |This prize recognizes students who have made notable contributions through their involvement in the Faculty.
Megan Cooke | Faculty of Education Gold Medal / Teacher Education | The University Gold Medal recognizes the highest standing in the Teacher Education sector.
Manon Dubé St-Onge | Faculty of Education Personnel Prize - Francophone Graduate Students | The Personnel Prize is for students who have made notable contributions through their involvement in the Faculty.
Alvy Xiaoting Hou | Faculty of Education Personnel Prize - Anglophone Graduate Students | The Faculty of Education Personnel Prize is for students who have made notable contributions through their involvement in the Faculty.
Pierre-Étienne Lavigne | University Silver Medal / Formation à l’enseignement | The University Silver Medal recognizes the second-highest standing in the Formation à l’enseignement sector.
Gordon Thomas Morrison | Faculty of Education Personnel Prize – Anglophone undergraduate students | The Faculty of Education Personnel Prize is for students who have made notable contributions through their involvement in the Faculty.
Heather Ochalski | Commission on Graduate Studies in Humanities Prize - Master's |The Commission on Graduate Studies in the Humanities Prize recognizes an excellent master's thesis in the Humanities.
Marie-Ève Marie Simone Dufresne | University Gold Medal / Formation à l’enseignement | The University Gold Medal recognizes the highest standing in the Formation à l’enseignement sector.
Lauren Stokes | University Silver Medal / Teacher Education | The University Silver Medal recognizes the second-highest standing in the Teacher Education.
Anne-Frédérique Turbide | University Silver Medal / Formation à l’enseignement | The University Silver Medal recognizes the second-highest standing in the Formation à l’enseignement sector.
Georges Réal Thériault | University Silver Medal /Teacher Education |The University Silver Medal recognizes the second-highest standing in the Teacher Education sector.