David Lee

Under falling leaves and (mostly) sunny skies, thousands of University of Toronto students crossed the stage inside Convocation Hall to accept their degrees during this year’s fall convocation.

About 3,800 graduating students from U of T’s three campuses attended the ceremonies held from Nov. 7 to Nov. 10, along with family and friends.

Check out some of the highlights captured by photographers at the university:

(Photo by Johnny Guatto)

It was all smiles as graduating students made their way inside Convocation Hall on the St. George campus.

(Photo by Johnny Guatto)

There were also plenty of hugs – including one from this friendly visitor.

(Photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

Eagle Feather Bearer Tee Duke, director of Indigenous initiatives at U of T Mississauga, and U of T Chancellor Rose Patten prepare to lead the procession into Convocation Hall.

(Photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

The ceremonies inside Convocation Hall were livestreamed online and can be watched again at U of T’s Convocation Hub.

(Photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

Indigenous graduates are welcome to wear their traditional regalia in place of an academic gown during U of T’s convocation ceremonies.

(Photo by Johnny Guatto)

There's always time for FaceTime after graduating with your U of T degree.

(Photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

What does it feel like to graduate from U of T? The faces say it all.

From selfie smiles to doting dogs: Moments to remember from #UofTGrad19

davidlee1 — Fri, 21 Jun 2019 15:34:42 +0000

From selfie smiles to doting dogs: Moments to remember from #UofTGrad19

davidlee1 Fri, 06/21/2019 - 11:34

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A cluster of celebratory balloons floats above the crowd in front of U of T's Convocation Hall (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Topic

Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Faculty of Medicine

Innis College

Ontario Institute for Studies in Education

Scholars at Risk

Trinity College

It was another spring convocation for the books as University of Toronto students said goodbye to their textbooks and accepted their degrees in Convocation Hall.

U of T photographers captured the excitement at the 32 ceremonies this month. See if you can spot yourself, your friends or family below:

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

A little girl's pink dress stands out among the black robes and greenery on the downtown Toronto campus.

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

With looks of pride on their faces, attendees take out their phones to record a convocation procession on front campus.

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Graduates from U of T’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education walk across the Sir Daniel Wilson Residence’s quad on their way to Convocation Hall on June 11.

(photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)

The sunlight co-operated with this group of graduates posing for a selfie on June 11, the morning of Innis College and Trinity College students' convocations.

(photo by Lisa Lightbourn)

Syrian activist Noura Al-Jizawi, a one-time leader of the uprising against the regime of Bashar al-Assad, came to U of T through the Scholars at Risk program, which provides bursaries to students with refugee status. On June 7, she graduated with a Master of Global Affairs from the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy. She celebrated her convocation with her daughter Naya, who was born during her studies and is known affectionately as the “MGA baby” by Al-Jizawi's classmates.

(Photo by Liz Do/Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering)

Engineering graduates strike a pose mid-procession to Convocation Hall.

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Is there a more parental gesture than taking a photo with an iPad?

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Through every lecture, presentation and exam, Emily Wright's service dog Kailey has been by her side during her time at U of T's Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. So it was only fitting that Kailey accompanied Wright on the day she accepted her Master of Teaching degree.

(photo courtesy of Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering)

Some of U of T's newest engineering graduates show off the iron rings around their pinkies. The ring has been bestowed on Canadian engineering graduates since 1922. It serves as a symbol of pride in the profession and a reminder to uphold its highest standards.

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

A graduate of the Faculty of Medicine is all smiles at her convocation on June 3.

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

New medical doctors pose for a stylish group photo in front of University College.

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Balloon or thought bubble?

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Hats off – and hoods – to this year's graduates.

(photo by Lisa Lightbourn)

Last year, Elspeth Arbow won a student leadership award for her involvement on campus and dedication to her studies – all despite having to undergo a double lung transplant for the second time in her life. The cinema studies student, who has cystic fibrosis, recovered from the operation to complete her studies, travel through Europe and land a coveted internship at the Toronto International Film Festival.

(photo by Tyler Irving/Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering)

There were hugs galore outside Convocation Hall as new graduates celebrated with family and friends.

(photo by Lisa Lightbourn)

Convocation marks the end of a chapter in students' lives, but not their friendships.

From Roberta Bondar to Oscar Peterson: Here are 12 famous honorary degree recipients from U of T convocations past

davidlee1 — Mon, 10 Jun 2019 20:22:06 +0000

From Roberta Bondar to Oscar Peterson: Here are 12 famous honorary degree recipients from U of T convocations past

davidlee1 Mon, 06/10/2019 - 16:22

Cutline

Jazz legend Oscar Peterson, who received an honorary degree from U of T, plays the piano at a convocation ceremony in 1985 (photo by Robert Lansdale/University of Toronto Archives)

Topic

Faculty of Arts & Science

Since Henry Holmes Croft was awarded a Doctor of Civil Law in 1850, the University of Toronto has upheld a long tradition of recognizing individuals with honorary degrees.

Whether it was the first Canadian female astronaut or a winner of the World Series championship, the degrees are awarded to those whose accomplishments inspire U of T graduates, and who bring honour and distinction to the university by their very presence.

As U of T’s spring convocation continues this week, U of T News photo/video coordinator David Lee and archivist Marnee Gamble found several historical photos of impressive honorary degree recipients through the ages:

(photo by University of Toronto Archives)

At spring convocation in 1992, Roberta Bondar was awarded a Doctor of Science, in the category of “Academic Disciplines and Professions – Aeronautics.” The honour coincided with the 25th anniversary of Erindale College (known today as U of T Mississauga). Bondar, the first Canadian woman in space, has a PhD in neuroscience from U of T.

(photo by Andre Souroujon)

Cito Gaston, the manager who guided the Toronto Blue Jays to back-to-back World Series championships, received an honorary degree from U of T in 1994 – a Doctor of Laws in the category of “Academic Disciplines and Professions – Sport.”

(photo by Jewel Randolph)

At spring convocation in 1998, June Callwood was awarded a Doctor of Laws in the “Public/Community/Volunteer Service” category. The journalist, author and social activist, who died in 2007, was also honoured with a professorship in social justice at Victoria College.

(photo by Robert Lansdale)

Legendary jazz pianist Oscar Peterson, the multiple Grammy Award winner, was awarded a Doctor of Laws honorary degree in June 1985 in the “Arts – Music category.” The Montreal-born Peterson was a renowned soloist and his work also appears on over 200 albums by jazz greats like Ella Fitzgerald and Dizzy Gillespie. Louis Armstrong called Peterson “the man with four hands.” A U of T Mississauga residence hall was named in his honour.

(photo by David Wohlfahr)

Mary Robinson, the first woman to become president of Ireland and hold the office of United Nations high commissioner for human rights, received a Doctor of Laws in the “Public Affairs category” during a special convocation ceremony in 1994.

(photo by Jack Marshall)

On June 1, 1964, classical pianist Glenn Gould received a Doctor of Laws. The multiple Juno- and Grammy-winning artist was an alumnus of the Royal Conservatory of Music, which founded the Glenn Gould School in 1997.

(photo by University of Toronto Archives)

The 14^th Dalai Lama, whose religious name is Tenzin Gyatso, was awarded a Doctor of Laws in the “Public Service” category on April 27, 2004. He received the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize for heading non-violent opposition to China's occupation of Tibet.

(photo by University of Toronto Archives)

Christopher Plummer, an Oscar-winning actor whose career has spanned six decades, was awarded a Doctor of Laws on June 16, 2003 in the “Arts – Theatre” category. The Toronto-born actor has also won a Golden Globe, two Tonys and two Emmys.

(photo by University of Toronto Archives)

In June 1999, ballet icon and U of T honorary degree holder Karen Kain was on hand to see fellow dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov receive his Doctor of Laws in the “Arts – Dance” category. Kain, one of Canada’s most renowned dancers, was awarded a Doctor of Laws in 1993. Baryshnikov is one of the most celebrated male ballet dancers in history.

(photo by University of Toronto Archives)

In June 1995, former Paralympian and humanitarian Rick Hansen received a Doctor of Laws in the “Public Affairs” category. Hansen, who was left paralyzed from the waist down after an accident in his youth, won six Paralympic medals and three world championships in wheelchair racing. He founded the Rick Hansen Foundation in 1988 to fund spinal cord research and to change attitudes toward people with disabilities and remove barriers.

(photo by Janine Photo Studio)

In 1977, astronomer Helen Sawyer Hogg, known internationally for her research on globular star clusters, received an honorary degree, a Doctor of Science in the “Academic Disciplines and Professions – Astronomy” category. The honour coincided with the sesquicentennial of the University of Toronto. Here she is pictured beside the David Dunlap optical telescope in the early 1960s.

(photo by University of Toronto Archives)

Stompin' Tom Connors received a Doctor of Laws from U of T on June 19, 2000, in the “Arts – Music” category. The Juno-winning singer-songwriter, who played guitar and fiddle, has also received honorary degrees from St. Thomas University and the University of Prince Edward Island.

'Queen of the Hurricanes' Elsie MacGill and other U of T history-makers from convocations past

davidlee1 — Mon, 03 Jun 2019 15:00:26 +0000

'Queen of the Hurricanes' Elsie MacGill and other U of T history-makers from convocations past

davidlee1 Mon, 06/03/2019 - 11:00

Cutline

Graduating from U of T in 1927, Elsie MacGill went on to become an aeronautical engineer during the Second World War, earning the nickname “Queen of the Hurricanes” (photo courtesy of University of Toronto Archives)

Topic

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Faculty of Arts & Science

Faculty of Dentistry

Faculty of Medicine

Hospital for Sick Children

Indigenous

Victoria University

The University of Toronto has marked a number of convocation firsts – from educating the first Canadian-born Black family physician in Canada to granting the country’s first Bachelor of Science degree to a woman.

With spring convocation kicking off this week, U of T News photo/video coordinator David Lee and archivist Marnee Gamble dug up several historical photos of history-making members of the U of T community that, in some cases, date back more than a century.

(photos courtesy of University of Toronto Archives)

In 1903, Emma Baker, left, and Clara Benson became the first women to earn a PhD from the university – earning degrees in philosophy and chemistry, respectively. They each eventually taught in the Faculty of Household Science. Benson, specifically, rose to the position of lecturer and, when the school was designated as a full-fledged faculty in 1906, became the university’s first of two associate professors.

(photo courtesy of University of Toronto Archives)

Graduating from U of T in 1927, Elsie MacGill was the first Canadian woman to earn a degree in electrical engineering. She went on to become an aeronautical engineer during the Second World War, earning the nickname “Queen of the Hurricanes” for her work in turning a railway boxcar factory in northern Ontario into an aircraft assembly line. MacGill is pictured here prior to receiving an honorary degree from U of T in 1973.

(photo courtesy of University of Toronto Archives)

A participant in the American Civil War, Anderson Ruffin Abbott was the first Black Canadian – who was also born in Canada – to be licensed as a family physician. He attended primary medical classes at U of T in 1867 and was admitted to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario in 1871.

(photo courtesy of Victoria University Archives)

It’s believed that Nellie Greenwood became the first woman in Canada to receive a Bachelor of Science degree from a Canadian post-secondary institution when she received her undergraduate degree from Victoria University in 1884 – an experience she described as “a realm of pure delight,” according to historical documents.

(photo courtesy University of Toronto Archives)

Oronhyatekha, which means “Burning Sky” or “Burning Cloud” in the Mohawk language, studied medicine at U of T, where he earned his MD in 1866 – the first Indigenous student from U of T to become a practising doctor and the second in Canada. In the years that followed, Oronhyatekha served as a solider, the president of the Grand Council of Canadian Chiefs and practised medicine throughout southwestern Ontario and western New York.

(photo courtesy of Victoria University Archives)

Ann Augusta Stowe-Gullen was the first woman to graduate from a Canadian medical school. Born in Mt. Pleasant, Ont., Stowe-Gullen was educated at the Toronto School of Medicine, and then at the Faculty of Medicine at Victoria University. She became an MD in 1883.

(photo courtesy of University of Toronto Archives)

Frederick Scott became the first U of T student to receive a PhD degree in 1899 after the degree program itself was introduced two years earlier. His physiology thesis topic was focused on nerve cells.

(photo courtesy of University of Toronto Archives)

U of T awarded its first honorary degree to Henry Holmes Croft – a Doctor of Civil Law – in 1850. Croft was an author and professor of chemistry who served as U of T’s vice-chancellor from 1850 to 1853.

(photo courtesy of University of Toronto Archives)

Arlington Franklin Dungy was Ontario’s first Black dental school graduate. Originally from Windsor, Ont., Dungy earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery from U of T’s Faculty of Dentistry in 1956. Just over 10 years later, in 1969, he was named chief of pediatric dentistry at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children.

A window to the past: Check out these archival photos from over a century of U of T convocations

davidlee1 — Fri, 24 May 2019 21:03:26 +0000

A window to the past: Check out these archival photos from over a century of U of T convocations

davidlee1 Fri, 05/24/2019 - 17:03

Cutline

A garden party for convocation in June 1926 (courtesy of University of Toronto Archives)

Topic

University Health Network

Woodsworth College

In just a couple of weeks, the University of Toronto's front campus will be crowded with people hugging, high-fiving and snapping selfies to celebrate convocation. They will be continuing a long tradition enjoyed by countless students and their families as they mark a significant milestone.

U of T photo/video coordinator David Lee and archivist Marnee Gamble dug up some special moments caught on film between 1870 and 2000. Some of the photos are clearly of their time, but if they weren't in black and white, others look like they could have been taken just last year.

Here’s a few snapshots of U of T convocations past:

(courtesy of University of Toronto Archives)

U of T has been training medical doctors since 1843. Much more than the fashions have changed since 1870-1871, when this graduating class of what was then known as the Toronto School of Medicine posed for a picture.

The graduates above are, from left to right, G.W. Jackes, S.R. Richardson, J. Donaldson, W.M. Forrest, G.H. Cowan, C.Y. Moore, R.H. De La Matter, and A. Taylor.

(courtesy of University of Toronto Archives)

An unidentified man wearing a turban walks past the ivy-covered walls of Convocation Hall before a graduation ceremony in 1938.

(courtesy of Herb Nott & Co. Ltd./University of Toronto Archives)

A group of graduands gather on the front campus just before convocation in 1960. The Sigmund Samuel Library behind them (now the Gerstein Science Information Centre) was the main library on campus until Robarts was built in the 1970s.

(courtesy of Robert Lansdale/University of Toronto Archives)

Twins Edward and Jay Keystone (centre), after receiving their medical degrees at the 1969 convocation. Both went on to become professors at U of T. Edward is a rheumatologist at Mount Sinai Hospital and the director of the Rebecca MacDonald Centre for Arthritis and Autoimmune Disease.

Jay is a staff physician on the Tropical Disease Unit at the University Health Network and a renowned expert in infectious diseases. He's done field work in Africa, India and South America, and he was appointed a member of the Order of Canada in 2015.

“Hard to believe we got through medical school!” Edward joked in an email to U of T News.

(courtesy of Robert Lansdale/University of Toronto Archives)

Eleanor Phillips shows the acting high commissioner for Jamaica, R. Aston Foreman, her B.A., which had just been conferred at a June 1970 convocation. Phillips is the daughter of Rowland Phillips, the first chief justice of Jamaica post-independence. Because they couldn't attend their daughter's convocation, her parents were represented by Foreman and Danny Powell, resident manager in Canada of the Jamaica Development Bank.

(courtesy of Robert Lansdale/University of Toronto Archives)

An unnamed graduand adjusts her mortarboard before the traditional procession from University College to Convocation Hall in 1970.

(photo courtesy of Robert Lansdale/University of Toronto Archives)

A convocation marshal addresses graduates in University College's West Hall in June 1971. The role of convocation marshal still exists today – and it's no easy task. “We need to keep the graduates manageable and happy at the same time,” marshal Paul Babiak told U of T News in 2016.

(courtesy of Homa Fanian/University of Toronto Archives)

In June 1990, when the likes of Madonna, Roxette and New Kids on the Block topped the Billboard charts, graduates and their guests gathered on front campus for celebratory hugs and pictures.

(courtesy of Homa Fanian/University of Toronto Archives)

Claire Stephenson, 87, stands for a portrait outside Woodsworth College before convocation in 1995. She completed a B.A. in the spring.

(courtesy of Susan King/University of Toronto Archives)

Two graduands share a laugh inside Convocation Hall in 1997.

(courtesy of Susan King/University of Toronto Archives)

The first graduating class of the new millennium, in June 2000, enter Convocation Hall.