2023 Honorary Degree Recipient
Honorary Degrees and the Order of the University of Calgary Recipients
The Office of the Chancellor and Senate bestows two prestigious awards during convocation each term for people making an impact in our community and around the world: Honorary Degrees and the Order of the University of Calgary.
Tegan Quin
Conferral and address – Thursday, Nov. 16, 9:30 a.m. ceremony
Tegan Quin, one half of the celebrated pop-indie duo Tegan and Sara, grew up in northeast Calgary. Initially showing prowess in science and math, her true passion emerged in junior high when she gravitated towards music, literature, and socializing. Alongside her twin sister, Sara, Tegan began secretly composing songs on their stepdad’s acoustic guitar and recording them in their basement. Encouraged by her broadcasting and communications teacher, Mr. Lee, Tegan's school project transformed into a demo tape, marking the beginning of her and Sara's illustrious music career.
After high school, Tegan relocated to Vancouver and signed to Vapor Records, Neil Young’s imprint label. Alongside Sara, she toured the globe as an indie rock duo. The partnership has sold over a million records, released ten studio albums, and garnered various Grammy, GLAAD, Polaris, and Juno nominations and awards. Notable among their achievements is their seventh studio album, Heartthrob, featuring the hit "Closer.” Their songs have been featured in TV shows like Glee, Grey’s Anatomy, Girls, and Heartstopper.
In 2016, Tegan, together with Sara, founded the Tegan and Sara Foundation. This initiative, rooted in the sisters' commitment to feminism and social justice, aims to improve the lives of LGBTQ+ women and girls.
Tegan and her wife, Sofia divide their time between Vancouver and Pender Island. She has expanded her creative pursuits to include writing, evidenced by the New York Times bestseller "High School," a memoir about growing up in Calgary in the 90s, co-authored with Sara, which has been adapted into an Amazon TV series.