Marie-Philip Poulin, a Canadian hockey icon and three-time Olympic gold medallist, has added to her distinguished legacy with an honorary doctorate in civil law from Bishop’s University.
Poulin is fresh off winning the PWHL’s Walter Cup as the captain of the Montreal Victoire, who defeated the Ottawa Charge in the final in four games.
Bishop’s held two convocation ceremonies Saturday: one at 10 a.m. and another at 2:30 p.m. Poulin received the honorary doctorate during the afternoon ceremony.
“Marie-Philip Poulin embodies values that are deeply aligned with the Bishop’s experience: excellence, leadership, humility, and a deep commitment to community,” said principal and vice-chancellor Sébastien Lebel-Grenier in a statement posted to the university’s website.
“She has defined an era of her sport with integrity and an unwavering dedication to her teammates and her community.”
On Saturday morning, Poulin spoke with CBC’s All in a Weekend host Sonali Karnick and discussed what this latest achievement meant to her.
After walking the stage, Poulin expressed her gratitude to the university and offered the graduating class advice in a speech that was met with a standing ovation.
“Receiving an honorary doctorate is something I never imagined when I was a kid in Beauceville with a hockey stick in my hand and a dream in my head,” she began.
“Hockey has taught me discipline and competitiveness, but more than anything it has taught me it’s important to to be a great teammate.”
Poulin encouraged the new grads to “chase excellence, work hard [and] dream big,” while also emphasizing the importance of building character alongside a career.
“Success matters. Achievement matters. But the way you treat people along the way matters way more,” she said.
