RDP Ready to Celebrate Graduates at 2025 Convocation Ceremonies

By Joan Donald and Gail Surkan to Receive Honourary Degrees on Jun 05, 2025
Graduating students in grad hats and gowns smiling at camera. A green gradient overlays the photo and text reads Congratulations! RDP Class of 2025

Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) will celebrate the Class of 2025 with families, community members, faculty and staff at its 61st Convocation taking place on June 6. More than 918 RDP graduates from 2025 will attend the morning and afternoon ceremonies in the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre, marking the largest graduating class in the Polytechnic’s history.

“We are excited to celebrate the achievements and successes of our graduates,” says Stuart Cullum, President, Red Deer Polytechnic. “I would like to congratulate the Class of 2025 on achieving this important milestone. As graduates, they will be stepping into a world evolving at an accelerating pace. Innovation, technology and limitless possibilities will shape their careers, offering extraordinary opportunities to lead, create and make meaningful impact in industries and communities across Alberta.”

Aubrey Reed is receiving the Governor General’s Academic Medal (Collegiate Bronze Level), achieving the highest overall academic standing amongst the 2025 graduating class. Reed completed a Legal Assistant Diploma, earning 11 A+s and maintaining a GPA of 4.0 throughout the program.

Haley Nelson is being acknowledged as the recipient of the Alberta Teachers' Association Gold Medal in Education. Nelson was selected by RDP faculty for demonstrating the highest general proficiency in her course work and field experiences.

The Polytechnic is also celebrating the first graduating classes of its Computer Programming Diploma, Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Education Middle and Early Years programs, Instrumentation and Automation Engineering Technology Diploma and Mechanical Engineering Technology Diploma.

Joan Donald smiles while sitting on a wooden bench in a dark blue pant suit in front of a house
Joan Donald


This year, Red Deer Polytechnic will be granting an Honourary Bachelor of Business Administration Degree to Joan Donald and an Honourary Bachelor of Arts in Multidisciplinary Studies Degree to Gail Surkan at the Convocation ceremonies. The esteemed honourary degrees recognize individuals who have made an outstanding social, cultural, or economic contribution locally, provincially and nationally.

Donald’s influence on RDP has been transformative. A dedicated leader and philanthropist, she served on RDP’s Board of Governors and led a campaign that raised more than $7 million for RDP’s library. Joan and her late husband Jack are the institution’s most generous benefactors, donating more than $26 million, including a groundbreaking $20 million gift to establish the Donald Family Institute for Healthtech Innovation. Her efforts and vision have helped propel RDP as a leader in education, training and applied research.


 

A smiling Gail Surkan, sits wearing a grey pantsuit on some dark wooden steps
Gail Surkan

Surkan has been a driving force in shaping the Polytechnic and beyond, leaving a lasting imprint through her leadership and advocacy. As Red Deer’s first female Mayor (1992–2004), she strengthened ties between the city and RDP, securing a partnership for a new library, which led to additional funding. Surkan’s leadership extended to the Canada Winter Games Board, in part helping develop the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre. She also spearheaded the Central Alberta Economic Partnership. Gail’s influence spans finance, health care and education, earning numerous accolades for her visionary leadership.

Since 2014, the Polytechnic has bestowed Honourary Degrees to 15 individuals, including Donald and Surkan.

More details about RDP’s 61st Convocation, and a livestream of the ceremonies on June 6, are available at: rdpolytech.ca/convocation.

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A woman in grad gown and cap smiles holding an RDP degree. A green gradient is overlayed with the text that says 61st RDP Convocation 2025
Joan Donald - 2025 Honourary Degree Recipient
Joan Donald’s legacy is defined by her unwavering generosity, visionary leadership and lifelong dedication to strengthening education and communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. For more than 60 years, she has been a driving force for progressive change at Red Deer Polytechnic and throughout the region. Raised as the second youngest of 11 children on a family farm near Millet, Alberta, Joan learned early the values of hard work and collaboration—principles that have guided her throughout her life and career. These values are reflected in her many impactful contributions, including at Red Deer Polytechnic, where her support has helped expand academic excellence, foster innovation and create meaningful opportunities for students, community members and industries alike. Joan’s deep commitment to RDP is evident in both her leadership and philanthropy. She served on the institution’s Board of Governors and spearheaded a major fundraising campaign that raised more than $7 million for the Polytechnic’s library. Together with her late husband Jack, Joan and her family are RDP’s most generous benefactors, having donated more than $26 million. Their contributions include a transformative $20 million gift to establish the Donald Family Institute for Healthtech Innovation, designed to advance health care education, training and applied research. This
A woman in grad gown and cap smiles holding an RDP degree. A green gradient is overlayed with the text that says 61st RDP Convocation 2025
Gail Surkan - 2025 Honourary Degree Recipient
Gail Surkan, who grew up on a farm outside Regina, has dedicated her life to community building, education and public service, leaving a lasting impact on Red Deer Polytechnic, the City of Red Deer and Alberta. Her career has been defined by collaboration, strengthening institutions and advancing opportunities for education and economic growth. As Red Deer’s first female Mayor, serving from 1992 to 2004, Gail led the city through a transformative era. Her leadership in regional partnerships and strategic planning also helped shape her advocacy for Red Deer Polytechnic. Early in her career, Gail served on the 1989 RDP Foundation Board of Directors, where she began the critical role of strengthening ties between the Polytechnic and community. Ten years later in 1999, she was instrumental as Mayor in securing a $1 million partnership between the Polytechnic and the City, leading to the development of a new on-campus library accessible to both students and residents. This initiative spurred additional fundraising efforts, ultimately raising more than $7 million to enhance educational resources and opportunities. Her ability to bridge municipal leadership with higher education underscored her commitment to fostering academic prosperity. Gail’s contributions to Red Deer Polytechnic extend beyond financial advocacy. In 2019