When Memorial University appointed Dr. Susan Dyer Knight as its seventh chancellor in 2012, it marked a moment of both pride and promise for the institution.

Over the next decade, her exuberance and sincere warmth would go on to shape convocation and the university’s identity.

Dr. Dyer Knight’s connection to Memorial runs deep. She is an accomplished alumna, having earned both her bachelor of music and bachelor of music education degrees from the university in 1983. From there, she built a career grounded in music education and cultural leadership.

In 1992, she founded Shallaway Youth Choir, which quickly became a cornerstone of cultural life, giving the province’s young people extraordinary opportunities to perform, learn and grow through choral music.

Five years later, she launched Festival 500: Sharing Voices, a biennial international choral music event that brought ensembles from around the world to the province, fostering global connections through the joy of musical expression.

Today, this legacy continues through Growing the Voices: Festival 500, a non-profit organization focused on expanding access to singing and community engagement through music.

Long before being named chancellor, Dr. Dyer Knight was recognized as a vital part of the university community. In 2000, she was named Alumna of the Year, and in 2004 she received an honorary degree from Memorial in recognition of her artistic and educational contributions to the province.

That same year, she was invested as a Member of the Order of Canada. And in 2005, she was named a Member of the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador for her contributions to music education and community building.

As chancellor, Dr. Dyer Knight became the ceremonial head of the university and the first woman appointed to the position. She presided over convocation ceremonies that conferred degrees on nearly 30,000 graduates.

 

As Memorial University’s chancellor, Dr. Susan Dyer Knight presided over convocation ceremonies that conferred degrees on nearly 30,000 graduates. Photo from Memorial University Archives.

 

But her presence on stage was far more than ceremonial. She famously greeted each graduate with warmth and genuine interest. Her personal touch helped bring our university community closer together with a sense of belonging and shared aspirations.

And her influence extended far beyond the convocation stage. As an educator, consultant and keynote speaker, she remained active at the international level, participating in research, conferences and publications that explored the power of music to build empathy, identity and community.

She served on national and international boards, from the Canada Council for the Arts to the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, advocating for music education and creative engagement as a force for personal and societal development.

She helped elevate the university’s profile not only as an academic institution but as a cultural hub, one that celebrates the arts and nurtures creative expression. She also exemplified what it means to be a public intellectual and community leader — someone who carries the values of her alma mater into every conversation, every stage and every gathering.

Under her leadership at convocation, a generation of students heard her message of kindness, possibility and belonging.

When she stepped down as chancellor in 2022 after a decade of dedicated service, the university community honoured her for her “warmth, kindness and unflagging energy.” These were the qualities that made her not just a ceremonial figurehead but one of the most cherished university ambassadors in Memorial’s 100 years of history.