Honorary degree and Order of the University of Calgary recipients announced for spring 2022 convocation

UCalgary Chancellor Deborah Yedlin and President and Vice-Chancellor Ed McCauley are pleased to announce the Honorary Doctor of Laws (Hon. LLD) and Order of the University of Calgary recipients for the spring 2022 convocation ceremonies.

The honorary degree is the University of Calgary’s highest academic distinction and is bestowed upon individuals whose notable achievements and community service merit recognition. These distinguished recipients address our graduating class at the convocation ceremonies, sharing words of wisdom they have gained through years of excellence and leadership in their fields.

The Order of the University of Calgary honours recipients who have a record of exemplary and distinguished service to the university. The nominees can be current or past members of the university community.

To read the recipients' full bios and learn more, visit the convocation website.

Hon. LLD recipients

Chantal St-Cyr Hébert

Conferral and address – Tuesday, May 31, 9:30 a.m. ceremony

Chantal St-Cyr Hébert is a Canadian journalist, author and political commentator. She is a contributing columnist for the Toronto Star and L’actualité and frequent guest on CBC’s The National. She has served as bureau chief on Parliament Hill for Le Devoir and La Presse and is the author of two books on significant events in Canadian politics. Hébert launched her career in the newsroom of Radio-Canada in Toronto. She went on to cover provincial and then federal politics with her work appearing in print, on television and on the radio for nearly every major news outlet in the country. 

Eva Friesen, MBA’00

Conferral and address – Friday, June 3, 9:30 a.m. ceremony

Eva Friesen has served as the president and CEO of the Calgary Foundation since 2005. In that time, she has harnessed the power of philanthropy to connect communities, champion causes and build our city. Her team has grown the Foundation’s endowment to more than $1 billion. Friesen served as the first female president of Rotary Club Downtown Calgary in 2013. She has also served on the boards of directors for the Calgary Chamber of Commerce and the Calgary Police Commission. Prior to joining Calgary Foundation, she was the CEO of the Calgary Health Trust and spent more than 20 years with the YWCA as CEO in Calgary, Yellowknife and Winnipeg.

Order of the University of Calgary recipients

Lana Wells, BSW’96, MSW’97

Wells will be presented with the Order of the University of Calgary on Wednesday, June 1, during the afternoon ceremony for the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Social Work.

Lana Wells is an internationally recognized expert on domestic violence prevention, whose ability to work across disciplines, translate knowledge into action and advocate for change has made her an invaluable contributor to our community.  She is an associate professor in the Faculty of Social Work, and the Brenda Strafford Chair in the Prevention of Domestic Violence. She is also the founder and leader of the primary prevention research hub, Shift: The Project to End Domestic Violence.

Dr. Vern Jones, PhD  

Jones will be presented with his Order of the University of Calgary during the Friday, June 3, ceremony for the Haskayne School of Business. 

During his more than four decades at the University of Calgary, Dr. Vernon Jones, PhD, has made significant contributions to our community as a professor, community collaborator, involved leader and industry expert. Through his advocacy and guidance, he has helped grow the Haskayne School of Business and UCalgary’s reputation internationally. He is a professor in strategy and global management at the Haskayne School of Business and has held nearly every administrative position possible within the business school.