May 25, 2005 for immediate release

About 730 students from the University of Northern BritishColumbia will be graduating this Fridayduring the University’s 12th graduation ceremony. The event will beginat1:30pm in CN Centre (formerly the Prince George Multiplex). Theceremony will mark the first time that degrees have been awarded inDisability Management, Biochemsitry and Molecular Biology, and theinterdisciplinary Master of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies.

Prior to the start of the ceremony, graduates will gatherwith faculty and staff at the Prince George campus in the morning. The class photographwill be taken at 10:45 on the ceremonial steps (weather permitting) in the AgoraCourtyard.

Honorary Degrees

Honorary degrees – the University’s most prestigious publicawards – will be presented to former UNBC Chancellor George Pedersen and MaryAlice Danaher of Williams Lake. Dr Pedersen hasbeen the President or Vice-President of five BC universities and his career ineducation has spanned more than 50 years. Dr Danaher has spent the majority ofher 35-year teaching career in the Cariboo, working with the Canim Lake Bandand the Cariboo Tribal Council. She was instrumental in establishing the Weekend University with UNBC and theUniversity-College of the Cariboo.

Student Awards

The Governor-General’s gold and silver medals for academicachievement will be presented during the ceremony. Jeanne Robert (formerly,Horning) will be receiving the gold medal as top graduate student afterconducting research on the susceptibility of Lodgepole Pine to weevil attacks.She is currently pursuing her PhD at UBC investigating the molecular basis ofdefense mechanisms in conifers. Jeanne will be speaking during the ceremony onbehalf of the grad class.

The silver medal for the top student graduating with abachelor’s degree will be presented to Mark Lundeberg of Prince George. He will be receiving a degreein Physics and will be graduating with his brother, Karl, who has completed aComputer Science degree.

Regional Ceremonies

Following the Prince George ceremony, the University will participate inregional graduation events:

Terrace, May 29, 7pm, Skeena ValleyGolf and Country Club

New Aiyansh, May 30, 2pm, Nisga’a Community Hall

Quesnel, June 1, 6:30pm, Quesnel and District Senior’sCentre

Fort St. John, June 2, 7pm,Northern Grand Quality Inn

There will also be three UNBC graduates recognized duringthe Yukon Collegegraduation in Whitehorseon June 4. The students have completed a locally offered master’s degreeprogram in Community Health.

Contact:

Rob van Adrichem, Director of Media and Public Relations,UNBC – 250.960.5622