Mount Royal University

“I didn’t think he’d make it past high school” ok not too much on our boy 😪

Give them the cap and gown too 🤝

“As a future physical therapist, I plan to consistently deliver patient-centred care.”

Meet Paige Fell. Hungry. Holistic. Healer.
Home: Calgary
Program: Bachelor of Health and Physical Education — Physical Literacy (Honours)

Whether it’s education or health and wellness, Paige Fell prefers a holistic approach. As graduation approaches, she’s reflecting on how a well-rounded education, transformative mentors and an insatiable passion for learning are propelling her career in physical therapy.

“I loved how the physical literacy program at MRU had a holistic approach to health and wellness — promoting lifelong movement and helping others lead healthier, more active lives,” Fell says.

While pursuing her bachelor’s, Fell took on an honours thesis and practicum placement assisting one of her professors — Dr. Trevor King, PhD — in his research. She fell in love with the work and all the challenges that came with it.

Learn more about Paige's story: https://bit.ly/3RUk1Mg

& it’s not pouring rain hallelujah 🙌

Convocation is a special time where new futures meet long-standing traditions. Graduates step forward into the next chapter of their lives while the familiar rhythms of academia — robes, mortarboards and bagpipes — ground the moment. This year, another element will join that scene at Mount Royal: a ceremonial mace, designed to lead the procession and mark the celebration.

A first for the university, the mace was commissioned by MRU’s President and Vice-Chancellor Tim Rahilly, PhD, as a gift to the Mount Royal community.

“I love the tradition of convocation,” he says. “I have had the honour of working at several different universities, and convocation often has these ceremonial pieces, maces or swords or some other object, and I thought that it would be great if MRU had something like that.”

Ceremonial maces have deep roots in academic institutions, but this one has been intentionally reimagined. The art piece is not a symbol of authority, but rather a visual expression of achievement, connection and shared experience.

For Rahilly, that distinction was important from the outset.

“The history of maces is a bit checkered,” he says. “They are conceived of as kind of like a weapon, and that’s not what I wanted for MRU. In other contexts, like parliament or legislatures, there’s also this idea of authority being transmitted through the mace, and that’s not what I was looking for either.”

Instead, the intention was to reflect the community. “What I really wanted was this notion of us all coming together at convocation to celebrate our students who have achieved something fantastic.”

An open call was issued to local artists, and Calgary sculptor Sinéad Ludwig-Burgess was ultimately selected to bring the project to life. Working primarily in welded steel and mixed media, Ludwig-Burgess was drawn to the opportunity to create something lasting.

“I was really interested in the idea of making an object that becomes part of Mount Royal’s history,” she says. “Something that represents a whole community and stands the test of time.”

Learn more: https://bit.ly/43UpvsW

“I did it all scared. It was the best decision I have ever made.”

Meet Danaë Webb. Creative. Engaging. Authentic.
Home: South Africa
Program: Bachelor of Arts — English (Honours)

Any reader can tell you how rewarding it is to watch their favourite character go through a major arc — trials and tribulations driving character growth and moving the plot forward. This book’s heroine is Mount Royal University English graduate Danaë Webb, and the story starts in 2009, when her parents packed up their South Africa home and relocated to Canada.

“The shortened version of the story is that we moved to Calgary for opportunity, whether that be better education or jobs. For all three of us,” Webb says. “The difference in opportunity between Canada and South Africa is obvious, and it is vast.”

One of those opportunities was the education at MRU. Webb had always loved English class, so pursuing it further was a no-brainer.

“What drew me to the program at MRU were the varied subjects being offered, from Indigenous literature to children’s stories to Shakespearean plays — each course was an untapped reservoir of knowledge that would broaden my literary world.”

Learn more about Danaë's story: https://bit.ly/4urRNWG

It’s finally here! 🎓

For everything you need to know about the ceremonies, go to mru.ca/convocation 🔗