The University of Guelph is preparing to celebrate its fall graduates and will honour a local disability advocate and a global health leader at its convocation ceremonies.
More than 900 graduates will cross the stage at the Guelph Gryphons Athletics Centre on Tuesday, Oct. 14, marking years of work to realize their unique academic goals.
Cyndy McLean and Dr. Soumya Swaminathan will both receive honorary degrees, while Dr. Ajay Heble, a professor in the School of Theatre, English and Creative Writing and founding director of the International Institute for Critical Studies in Improvisation, will be named University Professor Emeritus.
University Professor Emeritus
Dr. Ajay Heble
Since joining the University of Guelph in 1991, Dr. Ajay Heble has established an entirely new field of research – one that investigates the power of improvisational art and music in creating just and thriving communities. In 1994, he founded the award-winning Guelph Jazz Festival, infusing the city with a love for improvised music and turning the festival into one of the world’s most inspired and provocative musical events. Heble later became the founding director of the International Institute for Critical Studies in Improvisation, which stands as a global hub of research on improvised artistic practices today.
Winner of the Killam Prize and recognized by the Royal Society of Canada, Heble has transformed improvisation into a practice that transcends boundaries, disciplines and borders.
Honorary Degrees
Cyndy McLean
Cyndy McLean is a University of Guelph alumna who is a force for change in the U of G community and beyond. As the inaugural director of the Health and Performance Centre (HPC), she was a trailblazer in establishing student-centred experiential education opportunities at the HPC. Her legacy continues to shape the educational experiences of students at the institution today.
Following a spinal cord injury, McLean became a passionate advocate and role model for people living with disabilities, representing Canada as a wheelchair tennis player and was the national ambassador for the Rick Hansen Foundation. McLean continues to work tirelessly for change, raising awareness and funds to support a number of causes within the community.
Dr. Soumya Swaminathan
Dr. Soumya Swaminathan is an outstanding scientist of international repute whose holistic contributions to medicine, health care, global policy, philanthropy and social welfare exemplify a One Health approach, aligning with U of G’s own goal of improving lives.
She is a unique multidisciplinary health policy scientist and internationally recognized scholar in the field of infectious diseases, particularly HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. A former Chief Scientific Officer at the World Health Organization, her influence significantly impacted the control of COVID-19. Currently principal advisor to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in the Government of India and chairperson of the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, she continues to contribute in unique and impactful ways.
Convocation ceremonies schedule: