Carleton University awarded degrees to more than 1,200 students on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2014 while conferring honorary degrees on Carleton alumna and business executive, Shona Brown, andParamount Resources CEO Clayton H. Riddell during its annual Fall Convocation.
Brown was honoured during the morning ceremony with a Doctor of Laws honoris causa in recognition of her groundbreaking leadership and innovation in engineering, social media and business. Riddell was honoured during the afternoon ceremony with a Doctor of Laws honoris causa in recognition of his brilliant career in business and his thoughtful contributions to higher education, as well as to good governance in Canada.
“Thoughtful leadership and creativity characterize our honorary degree recipients,” said Carleton President Roseann O’Reilly Runte. “They work at the forefront in developing communications and information technology as well as in establishing the foundations for good governance.”
“Don’t overthink your next career move,” Brown said during her address to the graduating class. “Embrace sufficient risk, so that if you fail, it will be a spectacular learning experience. Finally, ensure that whatever choice you make, it’s one you’re truly passionate about.”
“I cannot imagine what the next 50 years will bring, but it will be incredible,” said Riddell during his address. “My advice to you: don’t be a spectator to the wonderful chances that will occur. Be a part of it. When you look back 50 years from now, make sure that the list of things you wish you had done is shorter than the list of things you did.”
Among numerous medals awarded at Convocation:
- The Governor General’s Gold Medal, awarded to Zachary Patterson as the graduate student at the head of the graduating class
- The Chancellor’s Medal, awarded to Jason Kinnin and Michael Francis St-Jules as undergraduate students of outstanding academic achievement
Click here for a full list of medal and award winners.
Carleton Ravens basketball player Thomas Scrubb graduated during the morning ceremony. He received a Bachelor of Science (honours) in Neuroscience with distinction.
About Shona Brown:
As a member of Google’s executive team since 2003, Shona Brown’s responsibilities as SVP, Business Operations were to build both the People Operations and Business Operations groups. In 2011, she transitioned to a role leading all of Google’s technology for social impact efforts and in January of 2013 she became a Googler Emeritus and moved into an advisory role with the company.
Brown has a Bachelor of Computer Systems Engineering from Carleton University in Canada, an MA in Economics and Philosophy from Oxford University (which she attended as a Rhodes scholar), and a PhD and postdoctoral degree from Stanford University’s Department of Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management.
About Clayton H. Riddell:
Born near Treherne, Man., Clayton Riddell grew up in Winnipeg, graduating from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Science in Geology in 1959. His career began with Chevron, but by 1969 the entrepreneurial spirit took over. Through exploration financed by joint venture partners, Clayton accumulated the assets necessary to establish Paramount Resources Ltd. in 1978. Between 2003 and 2005, Paramount spun off two new public entities, Paramount Energy Trust and Trilogy Energy Trust, providing a tax-efficient income stream to Paramount shareholders.
Riddell funded the creation of the Clayton H. Riddell Graduate Program in Political Management at Carleton University. In 2008 he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.
Media Inquiries:
Chris Cline
Media Relations Officer
Carleton University
613-520-2600, ext. 1391
christopher_cline@carleton.ca
Monday, November 17, 2014 in News Releases
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