Pascal Siakam to be granted an honorary degree at special ceremony
Author: UNB Newsroom
Posted on Aug 19, 2025
Category: Press Releases
From a late basketball bloomer to an NBA champion, Pascal Siakam’s story continues to be one of resilience, adaptability and relentless determination. For his commitment and support of higher education, and his immense impact that extends well beyond the basketball court, the University of New Brunswick (UNB) will be awarding Pascal Siakam with an honorary degree on Sept. 3, 2025.
The all-star forward who played for the Toronto Raptors before being traded to the Indiana Pacers in 2024, grew up in Cameroon with a father who valued education above all else. To honour his father’s legacy, Siakam partnered with UNB’s McKenna Institute and the River Philip Foundation in 2023 to establish a $200,000 tech-focused scholarship through his PS43 Foundation. The PS43 Foundation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to empowering underserved youth through STEAM education, financial literacy, life skills, and mentorship programs that prepare children for success in a rapidly evolving digital economy.
The scholarship was created for students from Siakam’s home country and has been a game-changer for Cedrick Tahmo, a fourth-year computer science student at UNB. It also allowed Erick Mbianda the chance to study chemical engineering and he begins his second year at UNB this fall.
It will be a privilege to honour Pascal Siakam with a UNB honorary degree,” said UNB’s president and vice chancellor, Dr. Paul Mazerolle. “His philanthropic work to remove barriers to education and provide opportunities for youth from Cameroon demonstrates his strong values that align with our university and many of the people who have been awarded an honorary degree before him.”
UNB will be hosting an evening with Pascal Siakam on, Wednesday, Sept. 3, at 5 p.m. at the Richard J. CURRIE CENTER, on UNB’s Fredericton campus. The event will include a conferral of an honorary degree and a fireside chat with Siakam.
The community is invited to attend and tickets are required for entry. Ticket details are available through Ticketpro. For more information, contact president@unb.ca.
About the PS43 Foundation
The PS43 Foundation, founded by NBA All-Star and champion Pascal Siakam, is dedicated to empowering underserved youth through STEAM-focused education, financial literacy, life skills, and mentorship. Operating in Canada, the U.S., and Cameroon, the Foundation’s flagship programs - Data Dunkers, Coding for Champions, Skills Academie, and Unbreakable - provide access, opportunity, and inspiration for the next generation of leaders. PS43’s vision is a generation of dreamers who believe they can become anything they want to be through the power of education. Learn more.