Pioneering Educator and Women’s Sports Advocate Dr. Pat Pickard Receives Honorary Doctorate

June 30, 2026— Nearly 60 years after arriving at Laurentian University with plans to stay for just a couple of years, Professor Emeritus Dr. Patricia "Pat" Pickard stood before the graduating class on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, to receive an Honorary Doctorate. This special moment was shared with many graduates of the 1976 graduating class, celebrating a lifetime dedicated to student mentorship, and the foundation of women’s sports in Northern Ontario.

Pickard arrived on campus in the winter of 1967 as a founding professor in the new School of Physical and Health Education (now the School of Kinesiology and Health Sciences) and as Laurentian's very first coordinator of women’s athletics. At the time, no formal women's sports teams existed.

"I got in touch with local high school coaches to see what the girls wanted to play, and everyone told me that Northern Ontario’s big sport was volleyball," Pickard recalls.

She put up signs around campus, opened up the gym, and built the university's inaugural women's volleyball team from scratch. Her efforts quickly expanded to include competitive basketball, track and cross country, swimming, field hockey, tennis, and badminton, eventually bringing Laurentian into the Ontario Women’s Intercollegiate Athletic Association.

Over the decades, Pickard watched the department grow from a single stream focused on training local gym teachers into a robust school offering distinct disciplines— Outdoor Adventure Leadership, Health Promotion, Kinesiology (BSc/BPHE) and Sports Psychology.

Throughout her trailblazing career, Pickard’s philosophy always centred on student engagement and community involvement. When asked what advice she has for the graduating classes, her message remains timeless:

"Get involved and become part of the community you want to be in. Find out what you are going to enjoy. This is a short four years out of your whole life—ask yourself what you really want to do, have fun with it, and interact with the people around you."

True to her legacy, Pickard shared her convocation celebrations with the alumni of the Class of 1976, who were on campus marking their 50th anniversary and had originally spearheaded her doctorate nomination. Instead of attending a formal administrative dinner, Pickard chose to spend her evening laughing, sharing stories, and catching up with her former players, and longtime coaching colleagues.

With the School of Kinesiology and Health Sciences preparing to celebrate its 60th anniversary next year, Pickard is already coordinating with alumni to support the university's next chapter. "Why do I stay involved? It's because of the students and the faculty," says Pickard. "It's all about the interaction."