Highlight reel: Congratulations, new grads!

At a graduation ceremony, a woman stops on the stage to wave to the crowd.

McMaster wrapped up its spring 2025 convocation ceremonies this week, celebrating our newest graduates across six faculties. (Photos by Georgia Kirkos)

June 20, 2025

McMaster wrapped up its spring 2025 convocation ceremonies this week, celebrating our newest graduates across six faculties.

Hundreds of bright, accomplished, and inspiring students crossed the stage and received their degrees. For these students, convocation marks the end of years of work and the beginning of their newest chapter.

Graduates were celebrated at faculty ceremonies, as well as three special graduation celebration events that took place in May and June.

Here are some of our favourite photos from Spring Convocation:

An auditorium, with about twenty people sitting on a stage, looking out over a packed audience sitting across three levels.
A packed house at the Faculty of Health Sciences convocation on May 21.
The back of a woman dressed in robes, embroided with flowers and golden thread. She is standing at a podium, facing a crowd in a theatre.
Chancellor Santee Smith addresses the crowd at the Arts & Science Program and Faculty of Humanities convocation on June 16.
Many people stand, all wearing graduation robes, facing the same direction.
Graduating students stand in FirstOntario Concert Hall at the Faculty of Engineering convocation.
A woman in ceremonial robes stands at a podium, speaking. Many people are visible seated behind her on stage.
Susan Tighe, McMaster’s provost and incoming president, at the Faculty of Engineering convocation.
A printed itinerary with a pop-up an archway.
A printed itinerary at a convocation ceremony, complete with a pop-up of the iconic Edwards Arch.
Backstage, several people in graduation robes stand in a short line.
Behind the scenes, graduands prepare to cross the stage.
At a graduation ceremony, a woman in robes crosses the stage.
The moment: crossing the stage.
A woman in graduation robes beams, standing on a stage.
Nursing student Thais Natalia Reyes Menaca, beams at the crowd before crossing the stage.
Two people in robes each hold a hand over their heart, watching a person in robes walk in front of them.
President David Farrar and Chancellor Santee Smith watch a student cross the stage.
Five students in graduation robes walk together in a parking garage.
All smiles after the Faculty of Engineering convocation at FirstOntario Hall.
A man in graduation robes and a woman embrace. Another man stands just behind them, holding flowers.
At the reception following the Arts & Science program and Faculty of Humanities convocation.

Black Grad

A man holds a child, pointing to something. They are in a crowd of people, many of them holding up phones to take photos.
Organized by the Black Student Success Centre, on May 20 graduates gathered for the fourth Annual Black Excellence Graduation Celebration.
Two women in dresses pose, each holding up a small black signboard with gold letters.
Graduating students pose for a photo at the Black Excellence Graduation Celebration.
Three women pose together.
The theme of Black Grad this year was “Eban – A Symbol of Safety, Security & Community.” In the Akan culture, the Eban symbol represents protection, security, and the safe haven that community provides. The event honoured student’s success and Black achievement at McMaster, while reaffirming the power of community that surrounded them that day.
A table laden with food, with a large crowd of people behind it.
Held in the Hub, the joy-filled Black Grad included African and Caribbean-inspired fusion food for the families and friends who gathered to celebrate this year’s grads and mark the significance of the day.

LANMU Grad

A room with many rows of seated people, in dress clothes.
Organized by the Latin American Network at McMaster (LANMU), the graduation celebration for Latinx students was held at the Phoenix.
A woman raises her arms to embrace a young man on a small stage.
Laughter and music filled the Phoenix as members of our community gathered to mark the Latin American/Latinx student graduation celebration, which included touching moments and tears of joy.
Amidst a crowd of people, somebody holds their phone up to take a photo of two people, who are standing at the front of the room.
The occasion also served as an opportunity to celebrate recent milestones and achievements by members of the Latin American/Latinx community here at McMaster.

Indigenous Grad

A group of people dance in a circle on a stage, holding hands. In the centre of the circle are three men with drums. A large screen above them reads 'Congratulations Class of 2025.'
Indigenous Student Services organized the Indigenous Graduation Celebration on June 4 in L.R. Wilson Concert Hall.
Three women stand on a stage.
Faculty of Social Sciences student Darci Debassige (right) on stage at Indigenous Grad, with Kelly Gordon (left), associate director of the Indigenous Health Learning Lodge; and Chrissy Doolittle (centre), director of Indigenous Student Services.
In a bright room, multiple groups of people hug each other.
The joyous event was marked by dancing, heartfelt moments and lots of hugs for the graduating students, as their accomplishments and hard work were celebrated.
A man in sunglasses and a hat flashes a peace sign at the camera. Another man stands next to him.
Rock musician Tom Wilson, seen here with McMaster professor Rick Monture, received an honorary degree at Indigenous Grad.

Check out more convocation content on our 2025 Convocation page, including Grads to Watch and honorary degree recipients of spring 2025.