It’s gown and country as MRU honours Brandt
Singer promotes civility in accepting honorary degree
Country musician Paul Brandt said it’s important to overcome fear and spoke to his audience about the hazards of the internet when he received an honorary degree from Mount Royal University during the Friday morning convocation.
“We live in an era with strong opinions, loud voices, harsh criticism and trial by social media,” Brandt said after replacing his graduation cap with his classic black cowboy hat.
“It’s not about who makes the best point, it’s about who makes the point loudest with the most scathing personal attack. To me, that’s just lazy, it’s fearful, it’s not showing up,” Brandt said.
The singer and human rights activist received an honorary bachelor of business administration in general management degree.
Brandt touched on how civility could change the way people treat one another.
“Civility allows us to show up, bring who we are and have respectful community with others even if we don’t agree on everything .... My experience at Mount Royal has shown me that time invested in service and love of others is never wasted.
“It pays great dividends and creates unlimited opportunity for the future.”
Brandt took time to promote his movement, #NotInMyCity, which stands up against human trafficking in Calgary. The movement began with a group of MRU students who worked alongside Brandt, the university’s storyteller in residence.
Brandt said being involved in #NotInMyCity is all about putting fear on the back burner, a lesson he learned during his time at MRU.
“It’s standing up to power and being willing to go and take risks, even when you’re a little bit afraid to do it.”
Brandt received the honorary degree for his “long-standing commitment to MRU and exemplary leadership in Calgary and across the country.”
He is an MRU alumnus after graduating from the nursing program in 1992.
Telling his fellow graduates about some of his fearful moments as a nursing student, Brandt joked about learning how to make a bed properly and a time he stayed up all night knowing the next day he had to teach a new mother how to breastfeed.
“I walked into my patient’s room completely terrified, my voice cracked as I introduced myself, ‘Hi, my name is Paul and I’m going to be teaching you how to breastfeed today,’” Brandt recalled as the audience laughed.
Brandt was relieved to find out the mother already had four children and wouldn’t be needing much guidance.
“But here’s the thing: in both instances, bed making and breastfeeding, I was terrified. But I did my best to prepare and then I showed up. I stood down fear and did my part, and then I showed up,” Brandt said.
This year, Mount Royal University has also given honorary degrees to professional wrestling icon Bret Hart, community leader Barbara Jean Fraser and international energy adviser John Lacey.