Rosanna Deerchild, Jitender Sareen, and Odette Heyn will receive honorary doctorates at The University of Winnipeg’s 126th Convocation on Thursday, June 12 and Friday, June 13.
Odette Heyn, CM – Dancer, artistic director, volunteer
For over 45 years, Odette Graziella Heyn has devoted her professional life to the Winnipeg arts community and the world of contemporary dance.
Odette immigrated to Canada with her family in 1958. Armed with dance training from York University, she settled in Winnipeg in the mid-’70s.
In 1978, she was the Founder and Artistic Director of Sundance Children’s Dance Theatre, which toured schools and theatres across Manitoba.
In 1981, she co-founded the Professional Program at the School of Contemporary Dancers and continues to serve as co-director. She choreographed for countless productions and companies, all while developing some of Canada’s most prestigious dancers.
She has volunteered her time and expertise to dancers, playwrights, actors, and singers. She is a proud officiant of Canadian citizenship ceremonies, welcoming and inducting immigrants to their new home.
In partnership with The University of Winnipeg, Odette, along with Faye Thomson and the School of Contemporary Dancers, helped create the Dance Program Stream within the UWinnipeg Department of Theatre and Film. This allows students working towards a professional career in dance to obtain a liberal arts degree.
Odette has been honoured by Dance Manitoba with a Lifetime Achievement Award, the City of Winnipeg Make a Difference Award, and appointed to the Order of Canada.
For her role in establishing a dance major at UWinnipeg and enriching the culture of dance and the arts in Canada, The University of Winnipeg is proud to bestow an Honorary Doctor of Letters on Odette Heyn.
Jitender Sareen – Mental health researcher, physician
Dr. Jitender Sareen is a world leader in mental health research, who exemplifies the values of compassion, innovation, and excellence. The impact of his research and advocacy has been profound, shaping policies and practices that improve mental health outcomes for individuals and communities across Canada.
His visionary leadership as the Department Head of psychiatry at the University of Manitoba, and at the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, has had a transformative impact on mental health research and practice.
Dr. Sareen’s collaborations with Indigenous communities to implement culturally-informed suicide prevention initiatives reflect his deep commitment to grassroots partnerships, and the co-creation of solutions that respect and uplift Indigenous knowledge and practices.
His work has been groundbreaking in the area of post traumatic stress disorders, in the development and funding of housing support programs, and in expanding access to cognitive behavioural therapy across Manitoba.
He has made significant academic contributions to psychiatry, mental health policy and practice, and his work has helped shape national conversations surrounding medical assistance in dying.
Dr. Sareen is a kind and gracious physician, a remarkable leader and advocate for mental health in this province, and a champion for change in the health system. He continues to make a tremendous and lasting impact to his community.
For his advocacy, his contributions to mental health services, and his ability to help people in crisis, The University of Winnipeg is proud to bestow an Honorary Doctor of Science on Dr. Jitender Sareen.
Rosanna Deerchild – Journalist, broadcaster, poet, playwright
Rosanna Deerchild is a Cree journalist, broadcaster, poet, and playwright. She is a band member of the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation and has deep family roots in O-Pipon-Na-Piwan Cree Nation in northern Manitoba.
Her work in the realm of storytelling, and as a proud advocate for Indigenous perspectives, has enriched both Indigenous and broader Canadian communities for over two decades.
Rosanna worked as a reporter, anchor, and Executive Director of News and Current Affairs for ATPN at a time when Indigenous journalists were few. She was part of a wave of journalists shaping our connections to Indigenous knowledge, stories, and issues surrounding Indigenous way of life.
She also worked in radio, starting at NCI-FM with a weekly talk show called All my Relations, which was heard across the province. And her CBC Radio One show, Unreserved, is one of the most extensive collections of interviews and archival materials regarding all Indigenous Peoples on Turtle Island.
Rosanna’s is also a gifted poet and playwright; whose works reflect the strength and continued resistance of Indigenous communities.
She has received several prestigious awards, including the Marshall McLuhan Medium and Light Award (2019), the Amnesty International Media Award (2021), and the Indigenous Media Award (2024).
Rosanna has been a champion for Two-Spirit, Queer, and Trans People of Colour, and for the next generation of Indigenous writers. She co-founded the Indigenous Writers Collective of Manitoba to foster and support Indigenous creative writing in the province and beyond.
For her profound contributions to Canadian arts, media, and Indigenous advocacy, The University of Winnipeg is proud to bestow an Honorary Doctor of Letters on Rosanna Deerchild.
In recognition of exceptional service, achievement, and distinction, The University of Winnipeg presents a variety of awards to deserving members of the University and wider community at our Convocation ceremonies. Learn more about our 126th Convocation.
