Honorary Degree Nomination Process

The Honorary Degree is the highest form of recognition offered by Thompson Rivers University. Recipients are individuals who have demonstrated excellence, in Canada or abroad, in the fields of public affairs, the sciences, arts, humanities, business or philanthropy, and whose achievements are both relevant and appropriate to TRU.

TRU’s Honorary Degrees are awarded by the Board of Governors on the recommendation of the TRU Senate.

Thompson Rivers University confers the following honorary degrees:

• Honorary Doctor of Laws for achievements in the Professions and Business
• Honorary Doctor of Letters for achievements in the Arts and Sciences, or recognition for exemplary and distinguished community service, including service to TRU
• Honorary Doctor of Technology for achievements in applied fields

View Past Honorary Degree Recipients.

Nomination for Honorary Degrees

Recipients of Honorary Degrees must be distinguished, with achievements both relevant and appropriate to TRU. Eligibility for nomination is restricted to persons of provincial, national or international stature. Nominees who have made extraordinary contributions to TRU will be welcomed, but must also have made significant contributions beyond TRU and its local region. Notwithstanding this policy, the Honorary Doctor of Letters may be awarded as recognition for exemplary and distinguished community service, including service to TRU.

By nominating a worthy candidate, this is your opportunity to

• Profile your discipline or field within our university
• Highlight and raise awareness of important issues in society
• Bring national attention to our university and our community
• Forge a relationship that could be benefit your faculty or school

TRU employees, students, alumni, and members of the Board of Governors are invited to nominate candidates for consideration.

Nominations are accepted on an on-going basis. However, the nomination deadline for candidates to be considered for the 2025 Convocation ceremonies is August 31, 2024.

Nominations should refer to the criteria set out in the Honorary Degree Policy, stating clearly and concisely why the nominee is deserving of the award. Supporting documentation may include, but is not limited to: published personality profiles and biographical information (often from the web), media extracts and accounts, and similar sources of information.

Confidentiality

The selection of honorary degree recipients requires care and confidentiality. Nominations are held in confidence in order to protect the privacy of the nominees because, unfortunately, not all nominations are successful. In accordance with the Honorary Degrees policy, “nominators should not discuss nominations with the nominees and nominators should not seek letters of support or references.” The Senate Committee on Awards and Honours will contact the nominator should it require further information.

When the Board of Governors has approved a recipient and the recipient has agreed to attend Convocation at TRU to receive the honour, the TRU community and the nominator will be informed. Approved recipients must attend at TRU (usually at a Convocation ceremony) to receive their Honorary Degree; the Committee keeps approved recipients active for a period of three years.

Downloads and Links

• Download the Honorary Degree Nomination Form
• Honorary Degrees Official Policy
• Past Honorary Degree Recipients

For more information, and to email/send completed packages, please use the information below:
secretariat@tru.ca 
Manager, University Governance
University Secretariat, 3rd Floor Clock Tower