The University of Lethbridge is preparing to celebrate the culmination of years of hard work and achievement of its newest group of graduates at the Fall 2017 Convocation ceremony, scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017 in the 1st Choice Savings Centre gymnasium.

The U of L will award a total of 249 degrees, diplomas and certificates at the ceremony, with close to 200 students expected to participate in person. The public is welcome to join the festivities, either in person or by watching the streaming version at https://livestream.com/uleth.

Graduands will be assembling in University Hall starting at 8:30 a.m. The academic procession from University Hall to the 1st ChoiceSavings Centre begins at 9:50 a.m. The ceremony will include the bestowing of an honorary degree, the Speaker Research Award, and the Alumna of the Year award.

Buffy Sainte-Marie, a leader and longtime advocate for Aboriginal Peoples in Canada and around the world, will receive an honorary degree. In her career, she has addressed topics that often remain hidden – abuse, women’s rights, equality, education and war. Her community work has allowed her to see the effects of colonialism on Indigenous people around the globe. These concerns became the themes for Sainte-Marie’s music, teaching and artistry.

Dr. Leroy Little Bear (BASc (BA) ’72, DASc ’04), Distinguished Niitsitapi Scholar, will be presented with the Speaker Research Award for his work as an international scholar, speaker and leader. A pioneer in the advancement of Indigenous education and an esteemed advisor on Aboriginal matters at the local, provincial, national and international level, he was a founder of the University’s Department of Native American Studies, one of the first such departments in Canada.

The U of L Alumni Association will recognize Jamie Ahksistowaki Medicine Crane (BEd ’05) with the 2017 Alumna of the Year Award. Medicine Crane has made an indelible impression on the way education is delivered to Indigenous communities, all the while promoting Indigenous rights, women’s rights, human rights and justice.