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As part of the 2026 convocation activities at HÂþ»­, the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences were thrilled to have had the pleasure to celebrate with our graduates at two ceremonies on Monday, June 1^st.

More than 380 graduates received degrees or diplomas from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, with more than 330 of them having joined us at the ceremonies.

The convocation ceremonies took place in the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium of the Dal Arts Centre. The first (12:30 pm) ceremony saw the graduates of the following departments and programs cross the stage:

Fountain School of Performing Arts (Cinema & Media Studies, Music, Theatre), Philosophy, International Development Studies, Multidisciplinary Centre (Black & African Diaspora Studies, European Studies, Gender & Women’s Studies, Law, Justice & Society), and Environment, Sustainability, & Society.

The second ceremony (4:00 pm) witnessed graduates of the following departments and programs cross the stage:

Classics, English, French, German, History, Political Science, Russian Studies, Sociology & Social Anthropology, and Spanish & Latin American Studies.

There were many happy moments shared at both ceremonies. One particularly special moment at the first ceremony was when Betty Veinot crossed the stage to receive her Diploma in Costume Studies. At 89 years of age, Betty demonstrated that there is no age limit to learning.

Dal News: At 89, Betty Veinot caps decades of learning with Dal Costume Studies diploma

And it was inspiring to hear Dal alum Ardath Whnacht (Dal King's BA/BSc'04, MA'10, Concordia PhD'17 ) deliver the convocation address.Ìý

You can watch the complete recordings of both ceremonies celebrating the 2026 FASS grads at spring convocation online via the following links:

We were also so pleased to see Clare Hutchinson, an international advocate for women in peace and security, be presented with an honorary doctorate degree from HÂþ»­ during the second FASS convocation ceremony.

Pictured left to right: Rustom Southwell (Chancellor, HÂþ»­ University), Clare Hutchinson (2026 HÂþ»­ University Honorary Degree recipient), Kim Brooks (President and Vice-Chancellor, HÂþ»­ University)

Dal News: Introducing HÂþ»­â€™s honorary degree recipients for Spring Convocation 2026

Dal News: Convocation, up close

In between the two ceremonies, FASS held a celebratory reception in the Marion McCain Arts and Social Sciences Building. The reception welcomed new grads and their loved ones, as well as faculty and staff of HÂþ»­'s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences who were so happy to gather together and celebrate the graduates' achievements and wish them all the best on their next steps. We were also excited to have been able to gather in the building’s interior courtyard – an outdoor space that hasn’t been readily accessible for about a decade! Now that the construction work on the exterior envelope of the McCain Building is complete, the space is once again accessible and able to be enjoyed.

Please find below several photos from the FASS convocation ceremonies and reception taken by Dal Visual Media Manager Cody Turner as well as some photos taken by Genevieve MacIntyre (Manger of Communications, Marketing and Student Recruitment for the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences).

FASS Grad Reception

Thank you so much to all of the graduates and their families and friends for celebrating with us at the FASS Grad Reception!