School of Graduate Studies: Faculty of Arts & Science (Victoria; Woodsworth) Fall 2025 Convocation

What this episode is about

The Fall 2025 Convocation of the Faculty of Arts & Science at the University of Toronto honors graduates for their academic achievements, while acknowledging the traditional lands of Indigenous peoples and expressing gratitude for the support received from families, friends, and faculty. The ceremony reflects on the hard work and sacrifices of the graduates and celebrates their transition into the university's alumni community.

Key takeaways

• Graduates: You've leveled up! Welcome to the never-ending game of adulting. It's not as fun as it sounds.
• U of T alumni span 196 countries; talk about global domination! Can your degree get you a free coffee in Bali?
• The land acknowledgment is not just a formality; it recognizes history, resilience, and the ongoing journey towards reconciliation.
• Latin may be a dead language, but your degree is alive and kicking—ready to tackle modern challenges with ancient flair!
• Thank your family like your success depends on them—because it likely does! They're the real MVPs of your degree.

Who speaks in this episode?

• Wes Hall (Host) · 17 min speaking
• Joshua Barker (Guest) · 25 min speaking
• Unnamed Convocation Speaker (Guest) · 33 min speaking

What is discussed, and when

1. 0:00 – 10:00: Joshua Barker, Wes Hall, Victoria College, Woodsworth College
2. 10:00 – 20:00: Wes Hall, Joshua Barker, Victoria College, Ontario Justice Education Network
3. 50:00 – 1:00:00: Victoria College, Woodsworth College
4. 1:00:00 – 1:10:00: Woodsworth College
5. 1:10:00 – 1:20:00: Wes Hall

Notable quotes from "School of Graduate Studies: Faculty of Arts & Science (Victoria; Woodsworth) Fall 2025 Convocation"

• My name is Joshua Barker and it's my great privilege to serve the University of Toronto esteemed school of graduate studies and vice Provost graduate research and.

  about Joshua Barker · at 6:56

• So as my first order of business, I'm delighted to sliewlt -- salute you from the faculty of arts and science, the school of graduate studies, Victoria college and Woodsworth College.

  about Victoria College · at 8:21

• He currently serves with the Ontario justice education network advancing public legal education for youth across this province.

  about Ontario Justice Education Network · at 12:26

• I could have never predicted that just in a few short months after this I would get an e-mail from producer at MTV Canada asking me to come in to.

  about MTV Canada · at 15:25

• I would like to thank chancellor Wes Hall for presiding over today's ceremony.

  about Wes Hall · at 1:11:39

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

• Joshua Barker — Person · Senior university official / ceremony conductor · 2 mentions · first at 6:56
  Introduces himself as Vice-Provost (Graduate Research and Education) and assists the Chancellor in running the ceremony; provides Latin translation and procedural guidance.
• Wes Hall — Person · Chancellor / presiding officer · 4 mentions · first at 7:10
  Presides over the University of Toronto convocation, confers degrees, and delivers closing remarks.
• Katrina Tiffany Yip — Person · Graduand referenced for ceremony logistics · 1 mention · first at 11:35
  Mentioned as likely the last graduate to cross the stage; used to encourage graduates to return to seats promptly after being recognized.
  Everyone, please remember your classmate and return to your seat.

Companies & orgs

• Victoria College — Company · Part of University · 4 mentions · first at 8:35
  One of the colleges within the University of Toronto, mentioned during the convocation ceremony.
• Woodsworth College — Company · Part of University · 4 mentions · first at 8:37
  Another college within the University of Toronto, mentioned during the convocation ceremony.
  So as my first order of business, I'm delighted to sliewlt -- salute you from the faculty of arts and science, the school of graduate studies, Victoria college and Woodsworth College.
• Ontario Justice Education Network — Company · Affiliation · 1 mention · first at 12:29
  The organization where the convocation speaker currently serves, focusing on public legal education for youth.
• MTV Canada — Company · Referenced · 1 mention · first at 15:30
  Mentioned by the convocation speaker as part of his career journey after graduation.

Concepts & topics

• Dean's Gold Key — Concept · Award · 1 mention · first at 12:42
  An award received by the convocation speaker during his time at law school.
  And advocacy including leadership in the law school where he earned the dean's gold key and later returned as an award winning adjunct professor directing its mediation clinic.

Full transcript with timestamps

2:12 Graduands and guests, may we have your attention please. Convocation is about to begin if you have a mobile device or pager with you, please turn it off or silence it during the ceremony. Thank you for your attention. And congratulations. If able, please rise.

4:39 We wish to acknowledge the land of which the University of Toronto operates. For thousands of years it's been the traditional land of the Seneca, and the Mississaugas of the credit. Today this meeting place is still the home to many indigenous people from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work on this land. We are also grateful to have the opportunity to celebrate the achievements scholars who graduate today. On their behalf, let us express gratitude for the support of their families and friends and the factually and staff who guided them in their pursuit of knowledge.

5:15 Whatever own traditions, let us reflect as we proceed through the convocation ceremony on the many years of effort sacrifice and success that have brought us to this time of celebration. One of my most important roles as chancellor is to serve as Chair of this convocation ceremonies conferring degrees upon our graduates and celebrating their entry into the University of Toronto twished alumni community and I am deeply honored to do so today. Graduands, please remain standing. All guests please be seated. [Speaking in Latin]

6:50 Please be seated. My name is Joshua Barker and it's my great privilege to serve the University of Toronto esteemed school of graduate studies and vice Provost graduate research and education. Today I have the additional privilege of assisting chancellor Wes Hall in conducting this convocation. The university is an institution with deep historical roots and many enduring traditions. Among those is our use of the language of the mediaeval university and today's wonderful celebration. For those in attendance like me who are less than fluent in Latin, a translation may be helpful.

7:34 For my part, I said, most distinguished chancellor, I present to you the scholars that they may be admitted to the various degrees and I bear witness that as far as all things which the statutes require they are fit and suitable. Much more significantly from the standpoint of the graduating class, the chancellor then replied, to the benefit of this province, this great country and to the worldwide community of nations, I by the authority vested in me and in the whole university admit you to your various degrees, grant to you the rights and ask of you the responsibilities of doing all of those things which pertain to those degrees.

8:21 So as my first order of business, I'm delighted to sliewlt -- salute you from the faculty of arts and science, the school of graduate studies, Victoria college and Woodsworth College. That's it, you're done. Warmest congratulations!

8:52 I would like to bid a warm welcome to everyone who has joined us here in historic convocation hall. Graduates, today the University of Toronto is formally recognizing your hard work, your accomplishments, your perseverance, and this milestone. Each of you as a member of the graduating class is joining an exceptional family of University of Toronto alumni. U of T has a global community of more than 700,000 alumni in 196 countries. They are the university's living legacy and our greatest ambassadors. U of T alumni serve in leadership roles in every corner of the globe and every walk of life.

9:40 They are Prime Ministers, justices scholars authors community and business leaders, scientists and professionals of every description. Their endeavours have shaped the world we live in and the way we understand that world. We have no doubt that University of Toronto's high international standing can be attributed to generations of dedicated and very talented faculty and staff members. But we also understand this reputation has been built by our alumni. A group that now includes each and every one of you. So to the graduating class, let me say thank you.

10:18 Thank you for your many contributions to the university while you were a student, and thank you for what you will do as members of Canada's largest and I believe most distinguished alumni community. One more word of thanks is in order. I'm sure all graduates share a sense of gratitude to the families -- to the friends and family members who have helped bring them to this special day. And I would ask you to join me and the platform party in thanking them with a vigorous round of applause.

11:04 Let me continue with a request. One of the distinguishing features is that graduates come forward to be recognised individually to enthusiastic applause. You will then leave the stage using the ramp, exit out the door and around the hall. At that point, you will turn left and quietly re-enter the hall as your peers continue to be recognised. In that spirit I encourage you to think of the very last person to be on stage. I believe it will be Katrina Tiffany Yip. Can you please stand up? Everyone, please remember your classmate and return to your seat.

11:55 Thank you for your understanding and assistance and once more, warmest congratulations. It's now my privilege to introduce today's convocation speaker. A lawyer, educator and advocate whose work centers on justice, education and community engagement. He currently serves with the Ontario justice education network advancing public legal education for youth across this province. His career spans law, teaching and advocacy including leadership in the law school where he earned the dean's gold key and later returned as an award winning adjunct professor directing its mediation clinic.

12:51 A proud Victoria college alum and recipient of the 2024 emerging leader award, his contributions include mentorship, service on the Victoria senate executive and longstanding commitment to 2S LGBT initiatives. Please welcome to the podium.

13:24 Thank you very much, Dean Barker. Chancellor Hall, Dean Barker, esteemed guests, members of the session, family, friends, loved ones and of course you graduates of the class of 2025, what an absolute treat and profound honor it is for me to be here with you all today. And to share some reflections with you. You know, as the proceedings were commencing and prior to I had the chance to walk up kings college circle and see the families gathering and taking photos, I was trying to get a sense of what you all might be feeling looking into your faces.

14:16 And trying to ascertain what was going on internally. And I hope and expect that the overwhelming feelings are positive right? Those of pride, sense of accomplishment and excitement for what's ahead even directly after this. I know I was personally looking forward to a post graduation meal with my family and there may be a game on that some of you may be watching. I will try to get you out by the eighth or ninth inning and we should be good. It's very quick commute. I'm sure also in the mix are some less comfortable feelings.

14:53 Some maybe anxiety about the next step, pressure to do the next great thing. And uncertainty about what it's all going to look like. And just a tiny spoiler alert. Those questions they don't stop. They are with you throughout life and it's kind of important to get comfortable with the discomfort. I know when I was sitting in your seat back in 2009, this was all very much alive for me. I could have never predicted that just in a few short months after this I would get an e-mail from producer at MTV Canada asking me to come in to addition for this new -- audition for this new late night talk show nor could I have predicted this invitation was a possibility due to a significant part of myself, my sexuality that I had only acknowledged the year before.

15:50 It was in the makeup chair prior to filming one of our first episodes that I got a piece of advice that is the first that I wish to share with you all today. I was talking to our wonderful makeup artist named lucky about where I was in my life at that point, nearly graduated. Trying to figure out the next step and she said the following. Just take one step in the right direction. Just say yes to that opportunity. It may not look exactly like what you were hoping or wishing for, but the important thing is to get into the arena.

16:32 And that kernel of advice has guided me throughout my career and back to this stage today. As I'm on this stage today, I'm thinking a few years prior to that walking on the Kings college circle in my first year at university grappling with that part of myself I just spoke about and thinking about how I was going to deal with it. Would I lead a double life? Try to suppress it? So to have not only acknowledged it but to have been on international TV talking about it and really open, honest ways just a few years later taught me another lesson that I would like to share with you all.

17:20 To be open to life's surprises and to in turn let you be surprised by yourselves. There is great value in having a goal, staying the course and exhibiting a healthy amount of stick with it-ness. I don't have to tell you that because you are here today because you exhibit that in your day to day lives. There is also something to be said for being open to being changed. As Miranda says to Carrie in just like that, am I not allowed to change a little bit or a lot or change back again if I feel like it? Do I have to follow my own rigid rules until the day that I die?

18:08 For the past couple of years I personally had been really interested in investigating and dismantling challenging parts of my identity that I previously thought as engrained or improvement. It's a life asimpling exercise for me to realise that what I believe as possible for my life can grow, shift and evolve if I allow my perception of myself to do the same. And as was conveyed to me through the chalk writings on a bathroom stall in the Yoga studio recently, I am not picky about where I get my lessons from, you are under no obligation to be the same person that you were five minutes ago.

18:56 As you are doing this vital work of self-exploration and excavation, in fulfilment, I want to encourage you that to remember that these personal journeys that you are on, they do not exist in a vacuum. There are many around you grappling with their own questions. Facing their sometimes silent and invisible struggles and hurdles and just trying to figure out how to best show up in this world. And we can help each other along these paths and lift each other up as we make our way down them. As much as personal drive, ambition and success, our value, it is our relationships how we treat and care for one another that determine the kind of world that we live in.

19:50 So graduates, as you embark on your next chapter, please remember that it is cool to care. It is cool to care about how you spend your days and about what's going on outside of your own bubbles. It's not cringe to want better for yourselves and those around you and to fiercely advocate for that while listening intently to others. So take that first step in the general direction of where you want to be. Be open to life's surprises. And be sure to check in, support and uplift each other along the way. I will not tell you to make us proud because in fact you already have.

20:32 Congratulations. Mr. Chancellor, I have the honor to present to you the following candidates from the school of graduate studies who are being admitted to the degree of master of arts. [Reading of names]

40:26 Candidates from the school of graduate studies who are being admitted to the degree of Master of Science. [Reading of names]

49:06 Being admitted to the degree of College of Honours Bachelor of Arts. [Reading of names]

52:26 Candidate from the Victoria college who is being admitted to the degree Bachelor of Arts.

52:34 [Reading name] Candidates from Victoria college who are being admitted to the degree of Honours Bachelor of Science. [Reading of names.

57:37 Candidates from Victoria college who are being admitted to the degree Bachelor of Science. [Reading of names]

57:49 Candidates from Victoria college who are being admitted to the degree of Bachelor of Commerce. [Reading of names]

59:03 Candidates from Woodsworth College who are being admitted to the degree of Honours Bachelor of Arts. [Reading of names]

1:04:41 Candidates from Woodsworth College who are being admitted to the degree of Bachelor of Arts. [Reading of names]

1:04:53 Candidates from Woodsworth College who are being admitted to the degree of Honours Bachelor of Science. [Reading of names] S had.

1:09:17 Candidates from woodsworth party who are being admitted to the degree of Bachelor of Science. Candidates from Woodsworth College who are being admitted to the degree of Bachelor of Commerce. [Reading of names]

1:11:01 On behalf of the University of Trofnlt tront -- Toronto, I here buy admit all of -- hear buy admit all of those students not present their degrees inabsentia. As we conclude this convocation, I wish to thank all of you for your participation and patience. To the families and friends and to those in the procession, let me say thank you. You have made this a more memorable event for each member of the graduating class. I would like to thank chancellor Wes Hall for presiding over today's ceremony. I wish to thank as well the many other colleagues and friends of the university to participated in this convocation whose names you will find in the program.

1:11:57 Chancellor, I now invite you to bring today's ceremony to a close. As I bring this convocation ceremony to a close in this your special day, I hope we will see you often in the years to come and invite you to stay connected we will be very interested in your journey. And we know that you will make an impact for the better in whatever path you choose. Before I close, I would like to say there is a party outside after at 8:00. Game three the Jays are going to be playing. Massive screen is for you guys only okay? You got to show up.

1:12:37 So I say now:

Questions about this episode

Who speaks in "School of Graduate Studies: Faculty of Arts & Science (Victoria; Woodsworth) Fall 2025 Convocation"?

Wes Hall (Host), Joshua Barker (Guest), Unnamed Convocation Speaker (Guest).

What is "School of Graduate Studies: Faculty of Arts & Science (Victoria; Woodsworth) Fall 2025 Convocation" about?

The Fall 2025 Convocation of the Faculty of Arts & Science at the University of Toronto honors graduates for their academic achievements, while acknowledging the traditional lands of Indigenous peoples and expressing gratitude for the support received from families, friends, and faculty. The ceremony reflects on the hard work and sacrifices of the graduates and celebrates their transition into…

What is mentioned in this University of Toronto episode?

8 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Joshua Barker, Wes Hall, Victoria College, Woodsworth College, Ontario Justice Education Network, MTV Canada. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "School of Graduate Studies: Faculty of Arts & Science (Victoria; Woodsworth) Fall 2025 Convocation"?

The episode runs 1 h 23 min; the transcript is about 2,481 words in 35 timestamped sections.

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