Those were some of the questions retired Lt. Col. Maryse Carmichael asked the graduating students of Sask Polytechnic during her address at the 2018 Convocation Ceremony at Hildebrand Chapel in Caronport on Friday afternoon.
Because once she answered those questions for herself, well, it all led to her moment at that podium on that stage at that moment.
Carmichael was on hand to receive her first-ever honorary diploma, an award that came after one of the most distinguished careers the Royal Canadian Air Force has ever seen.
“Saskatchewan is home now, after so many years living in Moose Jaw, and seeing Sask Polytech on a daily basis I’m really honoured to receive something like this,” Carmichael said over a raucous din in the Chapel’s jam-packed foyer after the event.
“As I said to the graduates today, to me, it’s a passion and I think in life, if you have a passion and you work hard and aim for excellence, you can make your dreams come true as well… and you look at the energy here today, you see all the graduates and when you’re studying until 2:30 in the morning it can be difficult to remember why you’re there, but this is what it’s all about.”
Carmichael’s passion to be her best as a pilot and leader in the air force ultimately resulted in her racking up more than 3,500 hours in the air during her 22-year career. But it was flying one model of aircraft in particular – the Tutor jet fighter – that brought Carmichael her greatest professional success.
In November 2000, Carmichael became the first-ever female pilot with the 431 Air Demonstration Squadron, better known as the Snowbirds. And she wasn’t done there, as in May 2010 she became the first female Commanding Officer of the Snowbirds. In between, she was the Operations Officer at for the 436 Transport Squadron before taking over as the deputy wing operations officer at 3 Wing Bagotville – the very same base where when she was seven years old she saw her first air show and fell in love with flying.
First this, first that and an astonishingly distinguished career to boot.
That’s when academic institutions come calling with special honours.
The Sask Polytechnic Honorary Diploma is presented to ‘recognize extraordinary individuals who are making a difference in communities throughout Saskatchewan and beyond; individuals who have made a significant contribution to education, business and industry or government and who are supportive of Sask Polytech’s vision, values and overall role in the local and provincial communities’.
“To see an institution like Sask Polytechnic and what they do, with graduates from all over the world… it just speaks to the quality of the education and how much what they have to offer means,” Carmichael said. “That’s why it means so much to receive this honour and be a part of this ceremony.”
