3,458 U of S students set to graduate in June

This spring, 3,458 students are expected to graduate from the University of Saskatchewan. These graduates join a century-old community of more than 152,000 alumni worldwide whose contributions are helping to shape our world. All ceremonies will be streamed live.

Story ideas

• Legendary musician Joni Mitchell and hockey coach Dave King are among the eight Canadians receiving honorary degrees during the university’s spring convocation ceremonies.
  • Mitchell will not be present. U of S President and Vice-Chancellor Peter Stoicheff will receive the honorary degree on Mitchell’s behalf. Canadian singer songwriter Kathleen Edwards will also play a Mitchell song as a tribute
  • Learn more about all of the spring convocation honorary degree recipients.
  • At convocation we display the Treaty 6 flag, Métis flag and sing an honour song.
    • At the U of S, we have one of the highest populations of Indigenous students among Canadian post-secondary institutions.
      • In the 2016-17 academic year, 2,979 Aboriginal students were U of S students.
• 384 self-declared Aboriginal students are expected to graduate at Spring Convocation
• Father and daughter James (Jim) Searson and Vanessa Searson will graduate.
• This year marks the 50th year the U of S has held convocation ceremonies at TCU Place.
  • Just six weeks after the doors opened on April 1, 1968, Saskatoon’s new Centennial Auditorium hosted the 57th annual U of S spring convocation.
  • This is also the last year the U of S will hold ceremonies at TCU. Beginning in 2019, U of S convocation will be coming home to campus to Merlis Belsher Place, a new multi-sport facility currently under construction.
  • 100 years ago, the First World War ended. The Great War, which raged across the globe between 1914 and 1918, exacted a heavy toll on the U of S.
    • Of the 345 students, faculty and staff who enlisted, 69 died, more than 100 were wounded and 33 were awarded medals.
    • Edwards School of Business is celebrating its 100-year anniversary.

To media who plan to attend convocation

• Before arriving, please contact Meghan Sired, contact information below.
• Photographers may take photos from anywhere—except on the stage once the ceremonies begin.
• Reserved space for media is located on the second floor to the left of the stage (all other seats are reserved for the graduating students and their guests).
• The route graduates use as they proceed to the stage must be kept clear.

Convocation schedule

For the morning ceremonies, the academic procession begins at 8:45 am, speeches at 9 am and graduates start walking across the stage at 10 am. For the afternoon ceremony, the academic procession begins at 1:45 pm, speeches at 2 pm and graduates start walking across the stage at 3 pm. For the full convocation schedule, see: https://students.usask.ca/events/spring-convocation.php