Source: Brandon University Media Release - May 27, 2025
BRANDON – Brandon University’s (BU’s) Convocation ceremonies this week will feature recognition for the outstanding educators who pave the way for student achievement.
While conferral of degrees to BU graduates is foundation of Convocation, the four ceremonies on Thursday and Friday will also be an opportunity to recognize the outstanding work of several educators.
This year’s award recipients are:
The Senate Award for Excellence in Teaching will be presented to Dr. Bryan Hill.
Dr. Hill is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Chemistry. He has taught 15 different courses and supervised 20 students with their Master’s, Honours Thesis or Research Topics projects. He teaches the two flagship Organic Chemistry courses required for majors and for students entering professional programs such as medicine, pharmacy and dentistry. Borrowing and adapting strategies from others, Dr. Hill developed an interactive, engaging, and inclusive classroom that broke down the course content into digestible bits that students could master and enjoy. Nominators credited Dr. Hill for building a strong community within his classroom and fostering an environment where students were encouraged to take a trial-and-error approach and help each other along the way, allowing them to master difficult concepts quickly.
Dr. Hill will receive the Senate Award for Excellence in teaching during the Thursday morning ceremony.
The Senate Award for Excellence in Teaching will be presented to Dr. Ellen Watson.
Dr. Watson has recently been promoted to Associate Professor of Curriculum at Brandon University’s Faculty of Education. Since joining BU 2021, she has taught courses in science education, curriculum studies, pedagogy, and educational research. Dr. Watson’s teaching philosophy emphasizes offering and discovery, characterized by, as one student noted, her “unwavering dedication to her students.” She designs her courses to engage students critically with the subject matter, encouraging them to question the systems they have inherited. Through thoughtful course planning, she challenges students to think beyond conventional educational norms and consider how they might contribute to reimagining the schooling system.
Dr. Watson will receive the Senate Award for Excellence in Teaching during the Thursday afternoon ceremony.
The Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Community Service will be presented to Nancy McPherson.
McPherson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Nursing. Over the past 45 years, she has worked in a variety of capacities in diverse locations including northern/remote, rural and urban settings as well as international health positions in the West Indies and northeastern Siberia. These experiences are foundational to her passion for caring for under-served populations and addressing social justice issues. McPherson has been involved with many not-for-profit and service agencies throughout the Brandon community, and she has worked with all levels of government. Being an active community volunteer with a lifelong commitment to service wherever she has lived has always been an easy choice, as it gives her personal joy, allows her to use her professional skills more broadly, and helps her communities thrive.
McPherson will receive the Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Community Service during the Friday morning ceremony.
The Senate Award for Excellence in Research will be presented to Dr. Lorraine Mayer.
Dr. Mayer is a Métis philosopher, scholar, and trailblazer whose work has shaped Indigenous philosophy and feminism across Canada and beyond. For more than 30 years, she has worked to weave the traditional philosophy of her Cree heritage with contemporary philosophical inquiry, challenging the boundaries of academia and making space for Indigenous voices and worldviews. She is the author of Cries from a Métis Heart, co-editor of Philosophy and Aboriginal Rights: Critical Dialogues and has published widely in leading journals, including Hypatia. Her most recent article, “Indigenizing the Academy: Epistemic Injustice, Epistemic Resistance,” continues her efforts to bring Indigenous knowledge systems into critical conversation with Western thought.
Dr. Mayer will receive the Senate Award for Excellence in Research during the Friday afternoon ceremony.
Two Lifetime Achievement Awards were previously announced. Retired professor Dr. Austin Gulliver, of the Department of Physics & Astronomy, will be honoured during the Thursday morning ceremony, while Student Accessibility Services Coordinator Michelle Magnusson will receive her award Friday afternoon.
Additionally, outstanding teachers from Manitoba’s K-12 system are recognized at Convocation each year. This year, Skye Foord-Kelcey of Souris School will be presented with a Distinguished Teacher Award during the Thursday afternoon ceremony.
Two honorary degrees will be presented during Thursday morning’s ceremony, to radio host, musician and writer Tom Allen as well as to singer Elin Rombo.
About 600 students will receive their degrees at this year’s two-day Convocation on Thursday, May 29 and Friday May 30, with ceremonies for graduates in Science and Music (Thursday, 10 a.m.), Education (Thursday, 2 p.m.), Health Studies (Friday, 10 a.m.) and Arts (Friday, 2 p.m.).
Success is built at Brandon University. Our growing, progressive campus welcomes a diverse and inclusive community that combines proud tradition with shared ambition. Through our excellence in teaching, research, and scholarship, we educate students to make a meaningful difference as engaged citizens and leaders. Join us at BrandonU.ca
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