Internationally respected Māori scholar and advocate Dr. Graham Hingangaroa Smith will receive an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from Thompson Rivers University (TRU) during Fall Convocation on Friday, Oct. 9.

Smith is being recognized for his transformative contributions to Indigenous education, scholarship and self-determination in Aotearoa New Zealand, Canada and around the world.

The honorary degree is the highest form of recognition offered by TRU and is awarded for demonstrated excellence in fields including public affairs, the sciences, arts, humanities, business, law and philanthropy.

Professor Graham Hingangaroa Smith, Doctor of Letters, honoris causa 

Professor Graham Hingangaroa Smith

For more than four decades, Smith has challenged education systems to better serve Indigenous peoples.

He developed Kaupapa Māori, a transformative education framework grounded in Māori knowledge, culture and self-determination, and founded the Māori and Indigenous (MAI) doctoral program, exceeding the goal of 500 Māori PhD graduates in five years. He also helped establish New Zealand’s Māori Centre of Research Excellence. His influence extends across the Pacific to Canada, where he has mentored and collaborated with Indigenous scholars and students in British Columbia, including at TRU.

Through lifelong advocacy, Professor Smith demonstrates the transformative power of Indigenous knowledge and education.

TRU’s 2026 Fall Convocation ceremony takes place at the Tournament Capital Centre adjacent to TRU’s Kamloops campus on Friday, Oct. 9 from 10 a.m. to noon. Watch live at tru.ca/convocation.