NEWS & EVENTS | June 14, 2022
USB Convocation: 318 diplomas handed out
Graduates of Arts and Sciences gather outside.
Université de Saint-Boniface (USB) awarded 318 diplomas at three convocation ceremonies on Monday, June 13 and Tuesday, June 14 at St. Boniface Cathedral. The many award and medal recipients were also recognized at these events.
University Programs: Recognizing Excellence
On June 13 ceremonies, Université de Saint-Boniface and the University of Manitoba recognized six graduates receiving medals for achieving the highest average in their bachelor's or master's degree program.
Medals of Excellence
- Education – Master’s: Melissa Poitras
- Education – Undergraduate: Anie Brémault
- Arts: Simon Boily
- Business Administration: Brianne Barnabé
- Social Work: Erin Shaw
- Science: Martin Dupuis
The USB’s Gold Medal was awarded to Helena Zarychta (Honours Bachelor of Arts in French Studies). This medal is awarded to the graduate with the highest average in the last two years of their undergraduate program.
A number of awards were also presented based on the specific criteria of each.
Merit Awards:
- Marcel A. Desautels Award: Brianne Barnabé (Business Administration)
- Lucien St-Vincent Award: Myriam Boulet (Education)
- Manitoba Association of Mathematics Teachers Award: Farida Chaouch (Education)
- Gilbert Rosset Award: Marika Laczko (Translation)
- Luc Alarie Award: Simon Boily (Arts)
- Paul Ruest Award: Helena Zarychta (Arts)
- Raymonde Gagné Award: Erin Shaw (Social Work)
- Éducatrices et éducateurs francophones du Manitoba Award: Hind Sabil (Education)
- Association of Chartered Professional Accountants Award:
- Vinessen Vadivelu (Business Administration)
- Seynabou Sady (Business Administration)
Outstanding Contribution to Student Life:
- Alumni Network Award: Rasmata Ouedraogo (Social Work)
- Investors Group Award of Excellence: Anie Brémault (Education)
- Powercorp Award of Excellence: Daneige Edey (Education)
- Francofonds Award: Simon Boily (Arts)
College Programs: High Honours
On June 14th, a Medal of Excellence was awarded to nine graduates, with the highest standing in their diploma or bachelor's degree program.
Medals of Excellence:
- Business Administration: Rachelle Fournier
- Multimedia Communications: Nathan Burr
- Early Childhood Education: Samantha Curé
- Tourism Management: Corinne Young
- Nursing: Samantha Reynolds
- Practical Nursing: Aicha Malak Hachimi
- Information Technology: François Bourassa
The Association of Regulated Nurses of Manitoba’s Medal of Excellence was also awarded to Samantha Reynolds (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) and Aicha Malak Hachimi (Diploma in Practical Nursing).
Rachelle Fournier is this year’s recipient of the Governor General's Medal, awarded to a college graduate with the highest standing in a post-secondary diploma or degree program.
Other awards recognizing student achievement were also presented based on the specific criteria of each award.
Merit Awards:
- Paul Ruest Award: Rachelle Fournier (Diploma in Business Administration)
- Raymonde Gagné Award: Samantha Reynolds (Bachelor of Science in Nursing)
Outstanding Contribution to Student Life:
- Francofonds Award: Kacou Coffie (Diploma in Business Administration)
- Alumni Network Award: Cassie Nazeravich (Diploma in Business Administration)
Special Recognition
Two individuals will be recognized for their outstanding contribution to the community in Manitoba.
An honorary doctorate was awarded to Gilbert Vielfaure during the first June 13 ceremony. Modest, respectful and always sensitive to the needs of others, Mr. Vielfaure has worked tirelessly for the past 17 years to promote Centre Flavie as a powerful tool in the fight against poverty. With his dedication and passion for his work, the Centre's director has succeeded in motivating staff and volunteers, despite limited financial resources. Gilbert Vielfaure was also a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.
An honorary degree was presented to Louis Allain at the college programs ceremony on June 14. Recognized across Canada for his contributions to the francophone community in the areas of economic development and education, this educator, administrator and builder is a strong advocate for the right to education in one’s mother tongue. As Executive Director of CDEM (Economic Development Council for Manitoba Bilingual Municipalities) for the past 15 years, he has achieved an impressive number of accomplishments in community economic development, tourism, immigration, employability and business support. Louis Allain's work has also been recognized by France’s Ordre des Palmes académiques in 2011, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012, and Canada’s Compagnie des Cent-Associés Francophones in 2019.
Outstanding Research
The USB Research Excellence Award, which recognizes faculty members who distinguish themselves through the breadth and quality of their research, was presented to Professor Renée Desjardins.
Renée Desjardins’ original and coherent research program is primarily at the intersection of both translation studies and social media as well as translation studies and food studies. Her research and publications reflect a constant concern for theoretical, social and professional relevance. This approach and the quality of her publications have made Renée an important niche player on the Canadian and international scene on highly topical issues. As a result, she is regularly invited to contribute to conferences, symposia and high-calibre publications around the world.
"USB is very proud to have Renée Desjardins on its faculty, and I thank her for raising the profile of our university both in Canada and abroad," says Sophie Bouffard, President of the USB.
A Resilient Cohort
The graduates of the 2022 cohort successfully completed their program of study under the special circumstances imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which involved adjusting to remote learning for much of their coursework.
The USB campus was completely closed in March 2020 and reopened in the fall of 2021 to approximately 35% of the student body while continuing to deliver the remainder of its courses remotely. In January 2022, with the rise of the Omicron variant, only the science, health, and nursing simulations and labs continued in person.
Some of the École technique and professionnelle programs were delivered solely online during this time of health emergency. Given that these are two-year programs, students who began their studies in the fall of 2020 never actually set foot on campus.
USB is pleased to be celebrating its first Information Technology cohort, with a total of 10 graduates.
“I would like to congratulate the graduates who are joining our alumni network today," says USB President Sophie Bouffard. “I hope they remain committed with passion, integrity and creativity to achieving their goals, and that they cherish this happy occasion."
A Time to Celebrate
Given the challenges posed by the pandemic in organizing festivities over the past two years, USB’s Alumni Network is holding a celebration for the 2020 and 2021 graduates as well as this year's graduating class.
The graduation party will take place on Wednesday, June 15, from 6:00 p.m. to midnight, at Patio 340 of the Centre culturel franco-manitobain (340 Provencher Boulevard). There will be music, food and beverages as well as a contest for graduates.
The community is invited to follow the convocation ceremonies and share their experiences on social media using the hashtag #SousLaCoupole.
The ceremonies were broadcast live on USB’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/ustboniface, and the videos are available for later viewing.
