Messages and acknowledgements
View the full program for each day’s events, including procession lists and messages from leadership.
Syilx Okanagan welcome
way̓ p cyʕap
On behalf of the Okanagan Nation Chiefs and our member communities, we welcome you to our beautiful Syilx Territory and to UBC Okanagan’s 2026 convocation ceremony.
Elders, Chiefs, Board of Governors, Dignitaries, faculty, family, friends, students and the 2026 graduates,
On behalf of the Okanagan Nation Chiefs and our member communities, we welcome you to our beautiful Syilx Territory and to UBC Okanagan’s 2026 convocation ceremony.
We are pleased to extend a special congratulation to all the new UBC Syilx Okanagan Nation graduates. We want to take this opportunity to recognize your achievement. The honouring of one’s intellect and acquiring of knowledge are vital to Syilx people. Learning has always been valued in our communities. Expanding our understanding is fundamental to well-being, enriches our community, and ensures our survival as a people.
Conducting ceremonies that acknowledge and award achievement is also an important part of Syilx customs and community life. Even today, announcements are made within the Nation sharing that, “This is a day of significance to a person, family, or community and you are all welcome to share in this celebration.”
And so, today, we are honoured to mark and celebrate the accomplishments of all 2026 UBC graduates.
The Syilx Okanagan people have always shared with others through our nsyilxcen language, teaching, knowledge and culture. It is our responsibility and duty to use these gifts and serve our community. Now, as graduates, you too will have the opportunity to share your education. We encourage you to serve your community!
The 2026 UBC Okanagan convocation ceremonies mark many accomplishments with the Syilx Nation. We are proud to make special mention of the Bachelor of Language Fluency graduates specializing in Interior Salish languages. The very first cohort from the Bachelor of Nsyilxcn Language Fluency program graduated in 2023 and today, three short years later, the program now encompasses four Interior Salish language with the very first St’át’imc students graduating in these ceremonies.
This is a momentous occasion for the NłeɁkepmx, Nsyilxcn, St’át’imc, Secwépemc speakers and for the many communities and Nations served by this initiative. It’s a testament to our collective journey of self-determination and tangible progress in our mission to reinvigorate and advocate for Indigenous languages not just here at home but throughout Turtle Island. We acknowledge UBC Okanagan’s continuing dedication to this program and we thank Lax̌lax̌tkʷ Dr. Jeanette Armstrong for her leadership.
The Okanagan Nation Alliance and UBC remain committed to this new path of partnership and inclusion so that we can all learn to embrace, strengthen and celebrate our diversity. The pursuit of academic excellence will continue to advance and transform our societies. Syilx participation in today’s convocation ceremony on our beautiful lands and within the life of this university bodes well for the future of our families, our communities, and our country.
limləmt
sil-teekin y̓il̓mixʷm Greg Gabriel,
Penticton Indian Band
ki law na y̓il̓mixʷm Clarence Louie,
Osoyoos Indian Band, ONA Tribal Chair
kalʔlùpaqʹn y̓il̓mixʷm Keith Crow,
Lower Similkameen Indian Band
simo y̓il̓mixʷm Robert Louie,
Westbank First Nation
y ̓il̓mixʷm Dan Wilson,
Okanagan Indian Band
y̓il̓mixʷm Charlie Allison,
Upper Similkameen Indian Band
y ̓il̓mixʷm Dan Manuel,
Upper Nicola Band
On behalf of more than 435,000 alumni from around the world, I extend warmest congratulations to all members of the Class of 2026, and sincere gratitude to all who have supported you along the way.
The transformation from student to graduate is a defining accomplishment, and one that will speak compellingly about you for the remainder of your lives. After all, you didn’t just study hard and make good grades, you also had to learn some practical life skills that will be essential as you navigate the pathways ahead.
In getting to this stage of your journey, you invariably had to be resourceful. In addition to fulfilling degree requirements, you had to overcome a range of challenges: finding suitable accommodation; managing money and time; perhaps holding down a part-time job; making good decisions about course selection; exploring co-op opportunities, not to mention the necessity of staying physically active and allowing time to have a bit of fun.
At times, you may have found it difficult to be separated from your families, or to say goodbye to old friends and find new ones. Perhaps you had moments of doubt, and even genuine anxiety. But for now, rest assured that the problems you solved and the challenges you overcame were an integral part of your education, and are therefore a part of the triumph and transformation that we celebrate with you today.
Indeed, you may not yet be fully aware of the great extent to which you have differentiated your character, so please do not underestimate how very much you have achieved in getting here today.
So where to now? Putting your degree to work in a meaningful way represents another challenge. But whatever path you choose, I encourage you to rigorously pursue your passion, whatever that may be.
At the same time, however, be receptive to new opportunities, including things you may never have thought of before. Success is not about how much money your make; it’s about leading a happy, healthy and fulfilling life.
Above all, utilize your critical thinking skills to seek truth and evidence in all your dialogue and deliberations, and encourage others to do the same.
Continue to work hard. Be joyful and confident, be persistent, be imaginative, learn from mistakes, stay physically active, and always make time for the people you love.
We hope you will return often to UBC and that you will stay always connected in some way to your university. A warm welcome will always await.
Tuum Est!
— Judy Rogers, C.M., B.R.E. (BR.COL.), M.P.A.
Chancellor
The future is yours.
Congratulations! As the 17th President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of British Columbia, I am honoured to share this milestone with you.
Tuum Est. It is Yours.
These sage words—UBC’s motto for more than a century—beautifully capture both the university’s promise to you and the boundless potential you carry forward.
You are now a graduate of UBC and I hope you will carry those words with you as you embark on the next chapter of your life’s journey. May they serve as a lasting reminder of your strength and the agency you hold to shape a better world.
A degree from one of the top 40 universities in the world opens many doors. It is not only a mark of academic achievement, but a signal of your readiness to lead, contribute, and create meaningful change. You are on your way to a life of purpose and self-determination. Take a moment to savour this occasion.
Since UBC’s first graduating class in 1916, bright, engaged graduates like you have helped shape Canada for the better. Over time, UBC has grown from a small provincial university to a global research and innovation powerhouse, with a community of more than 435,000 alumni in 145 countries.
UBC alumni thrive in every field—as scientists, artists, engineers, lawyers, doctors, nurses, entrepreneurs, and teachers. They do remarkable, world-changing work, and you are now part of this amazing community.
Think about how much you have grown in your time at UBC—the people you’ve met, the discussions you’ve had, and the contributions you’ve made. These experiences will continue to guide and strengthen you as you navigate an increasingly complex world.
There will be hurdles along the way. What defines you is not what stands in your path, but how you rise to meet each challenge. You have the capacity to succeed and make a meaningful difference.
Be proud of all you have accomplished. And please know you will always be welcome back at UBC.
Congratulations once again, and my very best wishes for all that lies ahead.
— Benoit-Antoine Bacon, B.A. (Hons.), M.Sc., Ph.D.
President and Vice-Chancellor
Today, you celebrate with professors, friends and loved ones—those who are here in person and those who are thinking of you from all around the world. It is the culmination of years of assignments, exams, late nights and lightbulb moments of inspiration.
You should be extremely proud of yourselves. We certainly are.
It is important to take time to mark accomplishments such as this one—to know that you did this, and you can do other challenging things as well. Let the joy of that achievement turn outward and become a force of change.
Joy brings hope. And hope can change the world.
Thinking of all of you going out into the world, carrying with you the drive to make it better—that is truly awe-inspiring. It’s exactly the reason UBC is here, to equip and empower those who have what it takes to change the world.
As you embark on the next chapter of your lives, know that with your degree comes responsibility. You are responsible to think rationally, to look for evidence, to find creative and innovative solutions that leave the world a better place than you found it. And when that feels daunting—be courageous.
As you relish this moment of well-earned celebration, remember that the future is in your hands.
On behalf of everyone at UBC’s Okanagan campus, congratulations, class of 2026!
— Lesley Cormack, B.A., M.A., Ph.D.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Principal
Welcome, Class of 2026, to your new and honoured place among more than 435,000 UBC alumni in 145 countries. That’s a powerful network to help build your life and make a real difference.
Many students don’t realize that when you graduate from UBC, you automatically become a member of alumni UBC and your relationship with the University enters a whole new phase.
You might be surprised at just who your fellow alumni are, and their levels of accomplishment, influence and contribution to society. No matter where you go, you will find yourself in the company of amazing people who are making a real difference in the world — UBC grads who will be your role models, mentors, colleagues and friends. alumni UBC will help you connect through our email updates, website and social networks.
You can participate in our mentoring, cultural, education and career-building programs, here in Kelowna, and around the world through alumni networks as far away as London, Hong Kong and Seoul, or as close as Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto.
And when in Vancouver, be sure to visit the Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre. It’s UBC’s home for alumni for life, where you will always be welcome to make alumni connections, attend events, or book your own meetings or celebrations.
Whether you’re staying in the Okanagan after graduation, travelling or moving away, we are excited to welcome you back to campus for Homecoming this September. Because it’s not goodbye, it’s “see you at Homecoming!”
Remember our motto: Tuum Est (“It is yours”). UBC is still yours.
It will always be yours. So reach out. Stay in touch. Ask for help when you need it. Lend a hand when you can.
To learn more, visit alumni.ubc.ca. Best wishes for the future,
— Natalie Cook Zywicki
Associate Vice-President, Alumni Executive Director, alumni UBC
ałi kwu_swiwi-numtax
ałi kwu_suknaqinx
ałi axa/ L/tmxwula/xw
We are beautiful
Because we are Okanagan
Because our land is beautiful
The Okanagan Song is based on a traditional song style called skəlmxquin. Skəlmxqin songs belong to the Okanagan/Syilx people collectively. Songs of this style can be sung by any Okanagan/Syilx person using their own phrasing and their own emotion while maintaining the formal rhythm and structure.
Translation of suknaquinx skəlmxquinx
Note: the word aɬi translates three separate ways in this song.
aɬi kʷu swi wi numtax
(given that we are good-looking/vibrant/strong)
aɬi kʷu suknaqinx
(due to being Okanagan)
ɬi axaʔ iʔ tmxʷulaʔxʷ
(because of this land)
Literation/meaning:
We are beautiful
Because we are Okanagan
Because our land is beautiful
—Herman Edwards, Jeannette Armstrong and Delphine Armstrong-Derickson
August 22, 2005
Choke cherry moon, ɬuxʷɬuxʷtan
Ceremony acknowledgements
The Chancellor Judy Rogers, President and Vice-Chancellor Benoit-Antoine Bacon and Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Principal Lesley Cormack would like to thank the numerous faculty, staff and alumni volunteers who contribute to the success of the Convocation Ceremonies, as well as the following departments:
alumni UBC
Athletics and Recreation
Bookstore
Campus Security
Conferences and Accommodations
Development
Enrolment Services
Facilities Management
Food Services
Health, Safety and Environment
Indigenous Programs and Services
IT Services
Parking Services
Protocol, Ceremonies and Events
Office of the Deputy-Vice-Chancellor and Principal
Office of the Provost and Vice-President Academic
Student Experience Office
UBC Studios Okanagan
University Relations
Protocol, Ceremonies and Events, Okanagan
Suann Brown
Senior Manager
Erin Podmorow,
Events Manager
Ceremonies and Events, Vancouver
Liz King Osadczuk,
Director