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(Wolfville,
NS) - Acadia University will award 900 degrees at
its annual spring convocation May 15th and 16th. Students will
graduate from the faculties of Arts, Pure and Applied Science,
Professional Studies, and Theology. During the ceremonies, Acadia
will also grant honorary degrees to six worthy individuals.
On Sunday, May 15, Ms.
Carolyn Thomas will be awarded a Doctor of Divinity. Ms. Thomas is a
leader in black heritage and human rights and has served on several
provincial and national advisory committees regarding race
relations, employment equity, multiculturalism, and Canadian Unity.
She has also been recognized for her efforts to broaden employment
and business opportunities for black women. Ms. Thomas is a
recipient of the Governor General’s Award and the Global Citizenship
Award.
Reverend Father Joseph
Maier will be honoured with a Doctor of Humanities on May 15, before
giving the Convocation address. Known as the “Mother Teresa” of
Bangkok, Father Maier has dedicated over 30 years of his life to
improving the situation of those in the slums of Bangkok, where he
still resides. For his work, “Father Joe” has received several
awards, including a commemorative award he received in 2004 from the
Queen of Thailand for his lifelong work in promoting the status and
protection of women and children.
On Monday, May 16,
during the morning ceremony, Convocation speaker Dr. Cynthia Trudell
will receive a Doctor of Science for her leadership in the corporate
world, specifically to the auto and boat industry. In addition, she
has made significant contributions to the advocacy of women in the
corporate world as well as in facilitating discussion between
business and unions. She is perhaps best known as the first woman in
America to run a major division of a U.S. auto company, the Saturn
Corporation.
Dr. Maxwell Robinson
will also be receiving an honorary Doctor of Science on May 16. This
Acadia alumnus received a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of
Science with Honours from Acadia University in 1940 and 1941
respectively. After obtaining his Masters, he served with the Royal
Canadian Air Force in the Second World War. When he returned, he
acquired his Ph.D., and joined the DuPont Company as a research
chemist. More than 60 patents resulted from his discoveries and
DuPont awarded him the Lavoisier Medal for Technical Achievement in
2000, which has only been presented to 40 scientists and engineers
in the company’s history.
During the afternoon
Convocation on May 16, Chief Justice R. Roy McMurtry will receive a
Doctor of Civil Laws. After practicing law as a trial counsel for 17
years, McMurtry was elected to the Ontario Legislature and appointed
Attorney General. He played a significant role in the patriation of
the Canadian Constitution in 1982 and in the creation of the
Canadian Charter of Rights. Most recently, in 1994, McMurtry was
appointed the Trial Division and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
of Ontario.
Mr. Donald Julien will
also be awarded a Doctor of Civil Laws on the afternoon of May 16.
Julien has dedicated his life to the study and advocacy of the
culture and heritage of the Mi’kmaw people of Nova Scotia. He has
written and conducted research for several publications on Mi’kmaw
history, and is often asked to speak at universities, public
schools, and community groups. He is the recipient of numerous
awards, including the Golden Jubilee Medal of Queen Elizabeth II in
2002, and the Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal in 2003 for his
service in Cyprus with the United Nations. In 2004, he was selected
as a Member of the Order of Nova Scotia.
Mr. Kevin Rollins will
be giving the address at the afternoon Convocation on May 16.
Rollins is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Dell Inc.
Prior to becoming CEO, Rollins served as president, COO, and vice
chairman of Dell Americas. At the request of the President of the
United States, Rollins serves on the Advisory Committee for Trade
Policy and Negotiation. He is involved in the American Enterprise
Institute and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Rollins
also serves as director on the boards of Dell Inc., and Catalyst, a
non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of women in the
workplace. The public is welcome to attend convocation ceremonies at
University Hall.
Sunday, May 15
3:00 p.m. Faculty of Arts, and Theology
Monday, May 16
10:00 a.m. Faculty of Science
2:30 p.m. Faculty of Professional Studies
Acadia University, in
Wolfville, Nova Scotia, has long been recognized as one of Canada’s
premier undergraduate institutions. With its nationally and
internationally recognized research initiatives, small class sizes
and technology-rich teaching and learning environment, Acadia offers
students an experience that includes academic achievement combined
with personal growth and development. For more information about
Acadia, visit our website at
www.acadiau.ca.
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