October 3, 2005 Source: University of Lethbridge:
http://www.uleth.ca/notice/display.html?b=4&s=4342 Fall Convocation October 15 People who have made a difference in space and on the ground in world conflicts will be honoured with more than 300 graduands at the 2005 University of Lethbridge Fall Convocation ceremony, which takes place Saturday, October 15 beginning at 10:00 a.m. in the University Gymnasium. Honorary Degree recipients include Canadian Senator and retired Lt. General Roméo Dallaire and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Julie Payette. Canadian Armed Forces Brigadier-General Raymond Romses will be recognized as the as the the U of L’s 2005 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year. Three Hundred and twenty-six (326) graduands will receive University of Lethbridge degrees, diplomas and certificates of achievement. Lieutenant-General, the Honourable Roméo Dallaire, O.C., O.C., C.M.M., M.S.C., C.D. (Retired) BSc, Senator, will deliver the Address to the Graduands. Roméo Dallaire is well-known for his career in the military and for his role as the commander of the 1994 United Nations peacekeeping mission in Rwanda. He wrote about his experiences in his book, Shake Hands With the Devil, which was recently made into an award-winning film documentary. Julie Payette is currently the chief astronaut for the Canadian Space Agency and works as a CAPCOM (Capsule Communicator) at the Mission Control Centre in Houston. She has logged more than six million kilometers in space and was the first Canadian to participate in an International Space Station (ISS) assembly mission and to board the Space Station. Raymond Romses, a Brigadier-General in the Canadian Armed Forces whose military career started with the Army Cadets in Lethbridge, will be recognized as the as the 2005 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year. Romses is a University of Lethbridge graduate (BASc (BA) ’75) and current commander of the Canadian defense liaison staff (London) and defense adviser for the United Kingdom and Ireland. Additional biographical information is attached, below. Biographical Information Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire: Lieutenant-General, the Honourable Roméo Dallaire, O.C., O.C., C.M.M., M.S.C., C.D. (Retired) BSc, Senator is a highly-decorated artilleryman, Dallaire has served in the Canadian Forces in a series of increasingly demanding command and staff appointments. In March 2005, Dallaire was appointed to the Canadian Senate. He is well-known for his career in the military and for his role as the commander of the 1994 United Nations peacekeeping mission in Rwanda, where he witnessed the deaths of more than 800,000 people who were killed by warring Hutu and Tutsi groups. Despite Dallaire’s efforts and advance warnings to other nations, he was unable to stop the violence. He has described the massacre as "the unfolding apocalypse," in his book, Shake Hands With the Devil, which was made into an award-winning film documentary. Upon his return from serving as force commander of the UN mission to Rwanda, (UNAMIR) he served as commander of the 1st Canadian Division and deputy-commander of the Canadian Army. Dallaire has subsequently been appointed to various senior positions within the Department of National Defence, including assistant deputy minister (Human Resources Military). He continues to assist the Canadian Forces and Veterans' Affairs Canada in matters related to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). ===== Julie Payette: Canadian astronaut Julie Payette is currently the chief astronaut for the Canadian Space Agency and works as a CAPCOM (Capsule Communicator) at the Mission Control Centre in Houston. Payette is a professional engineer with a bachelor of engineering degree, and a master of applied science in computer engineering. She is a Member of the Ordre des Ingénieurs du Québec and an appointed member of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada (NSERC). Payette is an accomplished pianist and vocalist who speaks several languages. Before joining the space program, Payette conducted research on computer systems, natural language processing, automatic speech recognition and the application of interactive technologies in space. In June 1992, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) selected Payette from more than 5,000 applicants to become one of four astronauts. In preparation for a space mission assignment, Payette obtained both her commercial and military pilot’s licences, studied Russian and logged 120 hours as a research operator on a reduced-gravity aircraft. She flew on Space Shuttle Discovery from May 27 to June 6, 1999, as a crewmember of STS-96. During the mission, the crew performed the first manual docking of the shuttle to the International Space Station (ISS). ===== Raymond Romses: Raymond Romses, BASc (BA) 75, the current commander of the Canadian defense liaison staff (London) and defense adviser for the United Kingdom and Ireland, has served on a variety of operational tours and appointments, including two tours with the United Nations (UN) Force in Cyprus, a tour with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Stabilization Force in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and a tour with the UN Force in Ethiopia and Eritrea. His military career began when he joined the Army Cadets in Lethbridge in 1967. He served as a private soldier with the 18th Field Regiment RCA (militia) from 1969 until the fall of 1972, when he enrolled in the University of Lethbridge as a Regular Officer Training Plan candidate. He played for the Pronghorn volleyball team and met his wife, Carol Ririe (BASc ’76), during his time at the University, graduating with a BASc (BA) in history in 1975. -- U of L Communications and Public Relations Contact:
Bob Cooney, Communications and PR Officer (403) 382-7173
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