General Convocation Information

Attending Convocation

Graduates

All graduates and potential graduates from the Fall 2016, Winter 2017 and Spring 2017 terms who applied to graduate and have met program requirements are invited to attend Convocation 2017. The registration package will be sent to your MyMail address in April.

Register to Attend and Gown Rental

If you wish to attend Convocation at the Winspear Centre, you must register and pay your gown rental fee. Check your MyMail account for your registration package.

Faculty and Platform Party

NorQuest College faculty attend both Convocation ceremonies. The platform party comprises NorQuest College's faculty members, Board of Governors, Deans and Directors, Chairs, student representatives, and dignitaries who participate in the ceremony.

Caps and Gowns

Students

Gown Pick-up: Date, time, and location to be announced

Graduates must pick up their caps, v-stoles, gowns, ticket, guest tickets at the Downtown Edmonton Campus. Bring your Gaspard confirmation email to collect your gown. When you collect your gown, you will also be given a name card that you must bring with you to Convocation. This card will be used to announce your name when you cross the stage.

We recommend you bring a bag with you to transport your gown, v-stole, cap, name card and tickets.

Convocation is an academic event. Please dress accordingly – business casual or business formal wear is suggested (denim is discouraged). Please wear appropriate footwear that allows for standing comfortably for long periods of time and walking across the stage. Your graduation gown will fall below the knee (select your size when you register for Convocation) and sleeve cuffs will be visible.

Practical Nurse graduates wear white graduation gowns with traditional white mortarboards and all other program graduates wear red gowns and traditional red mortarboards. Both gown colours will be worn with contrasting v-stoles that are included in your gown rental.

Graduates, please ensure you are wearing your cap and gown before taking your seat at the Winspear Centre.

• Your cap is meant to be worn parallel to the ground, with the tassel to the right side.
• V-stoles should be worn with the short side in front and the long side in the back.

Faculty and Platform Party

Faculty and Platform Party members wear a black academic gown and an accompanying hood representing their degree and alma mater.

The President's Medal

In honour of NorQuest College’s 50th anniversary, The President's Medal award was introduced in 2015. This medal is presented at Convocation each year.

The President’s Medal recognizes academic achievement and participation in inclusive communities as a tribute to 50 years of creating inclusive communities.

More specifically, the award acknowledges a student who consistently models many of the following selection criteria:

• Academic achievement
• Student citizenship
• Involvement in NorQuest and/or external communities
• Leadership qualities and behaviours

Nominations will be made by program chairs and the recipient selected by a formal college committee.

The Presidential Stole

The design of the NorQuest College presidential stole pays homage to the academic institution, its goals, and its student body.

The founding colours of the College were navy blue, sky blue and white. These can be found in the stole. NorQuest College encourages its students to fulfill their potential. The undulating ribbon of blue and teal represents the many aspects of knowledge and the many facets of the student body... the sky above, the earth below and all that exists is revealed as our lives fold and unfold.

NorQuest College is multinational. A large percentage of its students immigrated to Canada from other countries. The eight stripes on the outer border of the stole comprise the colours of all the flags of the world - green, yellow, red, orange, light blue, dark blue, white and black.

The braid at the apex of the stole's design refers to the sweetgrass so important to Canada's First Nations and Aboriginal students at NorQuest College. It also represents the interweaving of people, ideals, and aspirations found at the College. Each ribbon by itself is weak but braided together forms part of a strong and structured whole.

Designer: Irene Klar