Friday, Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) celebrated the Class of 2023 with families, community members and employees attending its 59th Convocation Ceremonies.

“Convocation is the most important day of the academic year, when we come together as a community to celebrate our graduates and all they have achieved,” says Stuart Cullum, President of Red Deer Polytechnic. “I congratulate the Class of 2023 and wish them every success as they start the next chapter of their lives.”

More than 620 of 1,470 eligible RDP graduates from 2023 attended the ceremonies in the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre. Little Buffalo Drum Group welcomed the graduates into The Fas Gas – On The Run Gymnasium with an Indigenous Grand Entry Song, which was performed to acknowledge and celebrate significant achievements in life.

This year is the first graduating classes of RDP’s Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences, Business Certificate, Business Diploma, Business Certificate Skywings and Bachelor of Applied Arts in Film, Theatre, and Live Entertainment – Film Production.

Brittany Parker received the Governor General’s Academic Medal (Collegiate Bronze Level), achieving the highest academic standing among all graduates from Red Deer Polytechnic’s diploma-level programs. Parker completed an Occupational and Physical Therapist Assistant Diploma, earning seven grades of A+ and a GPA of 4.0 during the 2022/2023 academic year.

“To earn the Governor General’s Academic Medal takes hard work, commitment and effective time management,” says Dr. Paulette Hanna, Interim Vice President Academic. “Brittany has demonstrated these important skills throughout her time at Red Deer Polytechnic and we are very proud of her accomplishments. We wish Brittany well as she embarks on her career.”

Parker and the entire Class of 2023 now join an esteemed group of more than 80,000 RDP alumni who are key contributors to industry and communities.

This year, Red Deer Polytechnic granted Honorary Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies Degrees to both Dr. James Barmby and Dr. Russell Schnell for providing meaningful impact in Alberta and around the world. They were formally acknowledged at the Convocation Ceremonies.

Dr. Barmby is a respected post-secondary educator and leader who has made significant contributions provincially and nationally. His expertise and advocacy for higher learning have contributed to student success for almost 40 years. Along with his ongoing community involvement, Dr. Barmby is currently Co-chair of the Minister’s Advisory Council on Higher Education and Skills. Dr. Barmby, who was an Art and Design student at the Polytechnic, transferred to university before completing the program. At Convocation, he was also granted a Visual Art Diploma.

Dr. Schnell was recognized for his global contributions to environmental sciences. He was a member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that was a co-recipient of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. Dr. Schnell discovered biological ice nuclei, which are effective initiators of natural precipitation, while working on the Alberta Hail Project. In recent years, he has built Little Free Libraries out of recycled materials and donated them to communities in Alberta and around the world to inspire youth.

Dr. Barmby and Dr. Schnell join a prestigious group of nine other individuals who have also received Honorary Degrees from Red Deer Polytechnic. The Polytechnic first began bestowing this honour in 2014.

More details about RDP’s 59th Convocation, the institution’s second as Red Deer Polytechnic, are available at: rdpolytech.ca/convocation.