FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MAX 26, 1977

REGINA (May 26) -- David Ahenakew, Chief of the Federation of Indians, will address graduates and guests at the University of Regina's Spring Convocation May 27. He will speak during the morning ceremony which will start at approximately 10 a.m. in the Saskatchewan Centre of the Arts. Chief Ahenakew will be receiving an honourary Doctorate degree at the morning ceremony. He will be introduced to Convocation by Ida Wasacase, President of the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College at the University of Regina. Chief Ahenakew played a major role in the formation of the College, which is first of its kind in North America. At the afternoon ceremony a second Honorary Doctorate will be presented to Mary Ellen Burgess, a pioneer Saskatchewan drama educator. The degree will be presented at approximately 2 p.m. in the Saskatchewan Centre of the Arts. Dr. J. 0. Burgess, a professor at the University of Regina and the son of Mrs. Burgess will present her to Convocation. Mrs. Burgess, born at Chatham, Ont., in 1895, was among the first to graduate from Regina Normal School 65 years ago, and began her long teaching career at a rural school in 1912. She returned in 1961 to the Saskatchewan Teachers' College in Regina, as it was known then, as an instructor. The college now is part of the University of Regina. From 1947 to 1961 she was an instructor in eddcational drama for two months each year at normal schools and teachers colleges at Moose Jaw and Saskatoon. She spent several months from 1955 to 1961 instructing summer schools in Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia and Manitoba. Mrs. Burgess, 82, now resides in Calgary where she teaches drama to people over 65 as part of Mount Royal Community College. Chief Ahenakew was born in 1934 on the Sandy Lake Indian Reserve, the fifth in a family of 10 children. - 2 -

He joined the in 1951 and served in Korea, and with the United Nations Peace-keeping Force in before gaining his discharge in 1967 to work with the Indian Placement Service of the Indian and Metis Departments of the Saskatchewan Government. In 1969 he was elected Chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indians and has since been re-elected four times, once by acclamation.

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NOTE: Copies of Chief Ahenakew's speech will be available at the time of delivery.

For more Information: Contact Jerry Horne or Jim Osborne at 584-4402