By Cheryl Jahn

A big day for UNBC grads

May 30, 2025 | 3:03 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – “Each student has their own unique journey. And even though you get to this day and it is a very exciting day when you reflect back, and all those twists and turns and ups and downs and the people that walked alongside you to help you when things weren’t going so well or to give you congratulations and things were going well.”

That is how the President of the University of Northern BC described this day. The day more than 800 students became students, no longer.

“For them to lead the way and take on the world and go through the struggles and trials and tribulations of getting their degree is incredible, you know, because it takes endurance, discipline and they have a life outside of school,” says Darlene McIntosh, UNBC’s Chancellor. “They work or they have children or whatever. And for them to get to this point is absolutely amazing.”

McIntosh has been Chancellor for two terms now and says there’s a certain element of magic in convocation.

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“It’s always been my honour and pleasure to be able to represent the students, the university as the chancellor. And how important is that? You know, it’s not about me. It’s about the students. It’s about education. It’s about seeing indigenous scholars come around. Yesterday, at the First Nations crowd. There were 37 grads for indigenous students.”

And she says she has a special message to those who will bear the cap and gown, especially inlight of these precarious items. “We look to our graduates as leaders who’ll come out with a fresh way of thinking, a fresh start. And how important is that? Right? And then they have community to support them. And so important.”

The President’s dinner was held in advance of this day, and a number of individuals are recognized for their contributions to the community with honourary degrees and various different accolades.

“It’s a way to recognize the amazing things that they’ve done during their time here at UNBC. And for me personally as the president, it inspires me of what they’ve done and where they’re going to go next. So it’s so great that we can recognize them on their special day.”

This is UNBC’s 32nd convocation.