Students in the charter class of Laurentian University’s McEwen School of Architecture were awarded their diplomas today during an afternoon convocation ceremony. The McEwen School began welcoming students in September 2013, making it the first new school of architecture to open in Canada in 45 years.
“I am very proud of all the students graduating this year. They are now truly part of Laurentian University history,” said Terrance Galvin, Director of the McEwen School of Architecture. “This school was the product of many years of hard work involving the entire Greater Sudbury community. I know that this charter class will make us all proud by using their design talents to enrich their communities for years to come.”
Planning for Laurentian University’s school of architecture began in 2007 and was helped along through much cooperation and financial contributions from all orders of government and the community. It was later renamed the McEwen School of Architecture in honour of generous philanthropists Rob and Cheryl McEwen.
Classes began in September 2013 with McEwen students involved in many high-profile projects. In only three years, they received many prestigious national and international awards for their design work, including taking first place at the 2016 Bergen International Wood Festival in Norway. The school’s new state of the art facility, located in the historic CP Telegraph building in downtown Sudbury, opened its doors in January 2017. The building reflects the McEwen school’s vision for architectural design by incorporating original elements with modern and high-tech features, while also casting a spotlight on Indigenous design and heritage.
Making the Spring 2017 convocation even more special for the charter class was the presence of renowned Canadian architect Marianne McKenna of KPMB Architects. The award-winning designer was invited by Laurentian to receive an honorary doctorate for her contributions to the worlds of architecture, education, and advocacy.
“When I spoke to this year’s graduating class, I told them to be proud of their past accomplishments while always looking forward to their next achievements,” said Dominic Giroux, President of Laurentian University. “The same is true for the McEwen School of Architecture. We are very proud of all we have accomplished over the last decade. But now we are looking ahead to the next steps including new research, and most notably the new Masters in Architecture program that begins in the Fall.”
About Laurentian University
Laurentian University offers an outstanding university experience in English and French, with a comprehensive approach to Indigenous education. Laurentian University, situated on the traditional territory of the Anishinabe peoples of Atikameksheng First Nation, prepares students as agents of change and empowers them to create innovative responses to local and global challenges. Laurentian’s students benefit from small class sizes and exceptional post-graduation employment rates. With nine Canada Research Chairs and eighteen research centres, Laurentian is a recognized leader in its specialized areas of research strength, which include mining innovation and exploration, stressed watershed systems, particle astrophysics and rural and northern children’s health. Laurentian University has secured over $200 million in research income in the past five years.