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Laurentian University to name Jason F. McLennan and Tom Blake as honorary doctorates

Laurentian University to name Jason F. McLennan and Tom Blake as honorary doctorates

Honorees will be recognized during November 2nd Convocation ceremony

October 8, 2024 - Laurentian University will be awarding two honorary doctorate degrees at this fall’s convocation ceremonies on November 2, 2024. The honorary degree recipients will be in attendance to be recognized alongside graduating students.

“We are very fortunate to have these inspirational leaders join us to be recognized and speak to our graduating class. Both Jason and Tom have accomplished so much in their distinguished careers and I believe they will demonstrate to the graduating class that there is no ceiling on their futures. Jason is both a pioneer and innovator in his industry, and Tom is another world-class leader who has chosen to give back so much to Laurentian. They are both so deserving of the highest honour we can bestow, ” said Dr. Lynn Wells, President & Vice-Chancellor, Laurentian University.

The convocation ceremonies will be streamed live via YouTube and are available from laurentian.ca

 

Award Dates

  • November 2, 10:00am: Jason F. McLennan - Honorary Doctorate of Architecture
  • November 2, 2:30pm: Tom Blake - Honorary Doctorate of Sports Administration

Jason F. McLennan
Chief Sustainability Officer of global firm Perkins&Will, and founder of McLennan Design, Jason is a distinguished designer, author, speaker, consultant, and environmentalist, he stands as one of the world's most influential individuals in the field of architecture and the green building movement. His ideas have earned national and international acclaim, including winning the Buckminster Fuller Prize, the ENR National Award of Excellence, and the Ashoka Fellowship. Jason has designed and consulted on many of the world’s greenest projects and is regularly sought out by leading companies and institutions for sustainability and social justice strategy. Jason created the Living Building Challenge, the planet’s top standard for certifying green buildings and he is the author of seven books on sustainability and social justice, including the pioneering Philosophy of Sustainable Design that has been used in dozens of architecture schools around the world. He was born and raised in Sudbury before moving on to work all over the world.

 

Tom Blake
One of the world’s most respected and dynamic sales executives. Tom is the author of the best-selling book “Championship Selling”, is the Co-Founder of Optimé International, and worked for 18 years from the entry level to executive at global sales and marketing leader Procter & Gamble. Tom and Optimé have trained hundreds of sales organizations like AT&T, PepsiCo, P&G, and many other Fortune 100 companies. The company was recently recognized as a 2024 Top Sales Training Company by Selling Power. In 2011, he co-founded Sprout Wellness Solutions, a holistic digital health and wellness solution, which was acquired by Telus Health in 2022. Tom was part of the inaugural intake for the School of Sports Administration (SPAD) in 1972 and is one of SPAD’s first graduates. Tom has regularly contributed to Laurentian over the past 50 years by serving on multiple Advisory Boards, hiring Laurentian graduates, intern and teaching Championship Selling in the SPAD program for 15 years.

Honorary Doctorates to be Awarded at Laurentian University Convocation

Honorary Doctorates to be Awarded at Laurentian University Convocation

Justice Michelle O'Bonsawin, Dr. Catharine Farrow, and Dr. Dan Andreae to be recognized

June 3, 2024 - Laurentian University is awarding three honorary doctorate degrees during this week’s convocation ceremonies. The honorary degree recipients will be in attendance to be recognized alongside graduating students.

“We are very pleased to be joined this week by these three inspirational leaders. Each of them has reached the top of their respective disciplines and their presence at convocation will signal to graduates that truly anything is possible. Their contributions to the common good are exceptional and worthy of the highest honour we can bestow,” said Dr. Lynn Wells, President & Vice-Chancellor, Laurentian University.

The convocation ceremonies will be streamed live via YouTube and are available from laurentian.ca.

Award Dates

  • June 4, 10:00am: Justice Michelle O'Bonsawin - Honorary Doctorate of Law

  • June 5, 2:30pm: Dr. Catharine Farrow - Honorary Doctorate of Business Administration

  • June 6, 10:00am: Dr. Daniel Andreae - Honorary Doctorate of Letters

Justice Michelle O'Bonsawin

The Honourable Michelle O’Bonsawin became the first Indigenous person to serve on Canada's highest court, when she was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada on September 1, 2022. She is a widely respected member of Canada’s legal community with a distinguished career spanning over 20 years. Born in Hanmer, Ontario, and a fluently bilingual Franco-Ontarian, Justice O’Bonsawin is an Abenaki member of the Odanak First Nation. Justice O’Bonsawin was appointed to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in 2017. She is a graduate of Laurentian University’s Bachelor of Arts.

Dr. Catharine Farrow

Dr. Farrow is a professional geoscientist with more than 25 years of mining industry experience. She currently serves as a Director of Franco-Nevada, Centamin PLC, Eldorado Gold Corporation and Aclara Resources, and is Chair of the Board of Exiro Minerals Corp. Chair of the Advisory Board, ReThink Mining Ventures, which is part of Canada Mining Innovation Council. Member of The Capital Oversight Committee of Metrolinx. Catharine is also the President of FarExGeoMine, consulting with mining companies and legal organizations.. Previously, she was Founding CEO, Director and Co-Founder of TMAC Resources Inc (now part of Agnico Eagle Mines) as well as Chief Operating Officer of KGHM International. She has been honoured as one of the 100 Global Inspirational Women in Mining (2015 and 2018) and is a past recipient of the William Harvey Gross Medal of the Geological Association of Canada (2000). In 2020 was awarded distinguished Alumni at Acadia University.

Dr. Dan Andreae

With over twenty years of professional experience in the education sector, Dr. Andreae has established himself as a highly distinguished and esteemed expert in several areas, health, neuroscience, psychology, advocacy, and community organization. He has committed a considerable part of his career to studying, supporting, and advocating for those with brain issues, especially Alzheimer’s serving as an insightful and dynamic leader. He has been recognized by the Alzheimer Society of Toronto with a Lifetime Achievement Award, Outstanding Service award for Leadership, an award presented by the Chair of the international Alzheimer Society Princess Yasmin Khan and later a Pioneer Award. He was the first Executive Director of the Society and Chair of the Patrons Council.

Laurentian to Present Honorary Doctorate to Margarete Kalin-Seidenfaden

Laurentian to Present Honorary Doctorate to Margarete Kalin-Seidenfaden

Award to be bestowed to trail-blazing scientist during 2020 Convocation Ceremony

(October 28, 2020) Laurentian University is set to commemorate the remarkable achievements of Margarete Kalin-Seidenfaden with a Doctor of Science, Honoris causa, at this fall’s convocation on October 31st.

Kalin-Seidenfaden is a fundamental contributor to “The Sudbury Protocol”, an ecological approach to environmental reclamation, which was then branded at Laurentian in 2016. Tussling with the cultural and industrial norms that excluded women in historically male-dominated fields, she has been an active member of the scientific community since 1963. Her determination served her well through an eventful career as an environmental consultant, culminating in her becoming the cofounder of Boojum Research.

Kalin-Seidenfaden conducted pivotal research in 1978 on the Madawaska uranium tailings in Bancroft and Elliot Lake. Her findings ultimately led to developing ecologically safer approaches to addressing mining tailings, including biological polishing and ARUM (acid reduction using microbiology). 

For the next three decades, Boojum Research tackled environmental reclamation projects including acid mine drainage with INCO and Falconbridge sites in Levack and Sudbury, Kam Kotia mine near Timmins, pyrite tailings at South Bay mine near Thunder Bay, and international projects in Germany and Australia. In 2002, Kalin-Seidenfaden donated Boojum Research’s large volume of research reports to the J.N. Desmarais Library. She has continued this relationship with the library, supporting the collection with new contributions as her body of knowledge has grown.

Join us in recognizing Kalin-Seidenfaden’s remarkable contributions as part of the 2020 Fall Convocation ceremony. 

QUOTE
“I am delighted that Margarete Kalin-Seidenfaden has accepted an honorary degree from Laurentian University. Her global leadership in ecological engineering and environmental reclamation is a perfect example for our students of how their work and research can truly make a difference.” Robert Haché, President and Vice-Chancellor of Laurentian University
 

Laurentian University Recognizes Two Prominent Sudburians

Laurentian University Recognizes Two Prominent Sudburians

Rick Bartolucci, Antoni Cimolino to receive honorary doctorates at fall convocation ceremonies

Long-standing educator and politician Rick Bartolucci and Stratford Festival artistic director Antoni Cimolino will receive an honorary doctorate at Laurentian University’s fall convocation ceremonies on October 29, 2016.

“Whether on the political stage or the theatre stage this fall’s honorary doctorates have demonstrated that Arts graduates can go far,” said Chancellor Steve Paikin. “Arts education provides foundational knowledge and transferrable skills that can open a wide array of career paths if you are willing to think outside the box and be open to new unexpected opportunities.”
 

Antoni Cimolino 
Stratford Festival artistic director Antoni Cimolino.

Antoni Cimolino will have a doctorate of letters conferred upon him at the 10:00 a.m. ceremony. 

Mr. Cimolino is the artistic director for the Stratford Festival and director of the 2016 critically-acclaimed productions of Macbeth and The Hypochondriac.

Born and raised in Sudbury, Mr. Cimolino credits his first love for the theatre to his teachers at St. Charles College and Marymount College.

A respected artist and an influential leader in the global theatrical community, Mr. Cimolino began his Stratford career in 1988 as an actor, and began to direct for the Stratford Festival in the mid-1990s, winning acclaim for numerous productions.

Mr. Cimolino is passionate about enriching the lives of others through the education and practice of the arts. His dedication to this cause led him to spearhead the Festival’s involvement in a joint project with CUSO, Canada’s international volunteer co-operation agency, to establish a performing arts and educational centre in the City of Suchitoto, El Savador.
 

Long-standing educator and politician Rick Bartolucci.Rick Bartolucci

Rick Bartolucci will have a doctorate of laws conferred upon him at the 2:30 p.m. ceremony.

Mr. Bartolucci was born in Sudbury and earned a Laurentian University Bachelor of Arts degree in 1973. He worked as a teacher and school principal for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board for 30 years before entering public office as a Sudbury city councillor from 1979 to 1982 and again from 1985 to 1991.

Mr. Bartolucci proceeded to win five provincial elections and served as member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1995 to 2014, representing Sudbury for 19 years.

During those 19 years he held three Ministerial portfolios and served as Chair of Cabinet. Mr. Bartolucci’s tireless advocacy for funding was instrumental in the launch of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, the McEwen School of Architecture, the Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation and the Vale Living with Lakes Centre. 
 

“We are proud to recognize two outstanding Sudburians who have the vision, ambition, and grit to take on leadership roles that improve our lives and enrich our communities,” said Laurentian University President and Vice-Chancellor Dominic Giroux. “We are proud to honour them as distinguished members of our university community.” 

Both ceremonies will take place in the Auditorium of the H. J. Fraser Building.  Media interviews can be arranged in advance of the ceremonies. 

Convocation ceremonies will be live streamed and available for media who have COMREX and Dejero capacity.

Six distinguished Canadians to receive Honorary Doctorates

Six distinguished Canadians to receive Honorary Doctorates

Chief Justice of Canada, Chief Executive of Anglo American among recipients

MAY 26, 2016 – Six distinguished Canadians from the fields of law, mining, engineering, journalism, education and social activism will be awarded Honorary Doctorates by Laurentian University at Spring 2016 Convocation ceremonies in Sudbury and Barrie.

 

Among the recipients of Honorary Doctorates this Convocation season are the Chief Justice of Canada, the Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin (May 31, 10:00 a.m.) and Suzanne Tessier, the first woman to graduate from Laurentian University’s School of Engineering. 

 

“It is a privilege for us to pay tribute to these outstanding Canadians who have led the way in their respective fields,” said Laurentian University Chancellor Steve Paikin.  “Each of them has inspired and enlightened so many others, and we are proud to celebrate them.”

 

The full list of Honorary Doctorate recipients follows:

The Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin, P.C (May 31, 10 am, Sudbury, ON)

Born and raised in Pincher Creek, AB, The Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin is the 17th and current Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. Appointed on January 7, 2000, she is the first woman to hold this position and is the longest serving Chief Justice in Canadian history. The Chief Justice also chairs the Canadian Judicial Council, the Advisory Council of the Order of Canada and the Board of Governors of the National Judicial Institute.

 

Mark Cutifani (June 1, 2:30 pm, Sudbury, ON)

A champion for workplace safety in mining, Mark Cutifani is the current Chief Executive of Anglo American, one of the world’s largest mining companies. He is also a member of the Board and Group Management Committee, a non-executive director of Anglo American Platinum, Chair of Anglo American South Africa and Chair of De Beers. Mr. Cutifani is the former COO for Inco and Vale’s global nickel business.

 

Suzanne Tessier  (June 1, 7:00 pm, Sudbury, ON)

Sudbury-born Suzanne Tessier was the first woman to graduate from Laurentian University’s School of Engineering (B.Eng ’79) and currently serves on the Advisory Board of Laurentian’s Bharti School of Engineering. One of her great passions has been encouraging girls and women to consider science and engineering as career choices, and mentoring new women engineers in the mining industry. She was elected to the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers Board of Directors in 2014.

 

André Picard (June 2, 10:00 am, Sudbury, ON)

As a public health journalist for The Globe and Mail, André Picard’s work has shone a light on health policy in Canada. Considered one of the country’s leading voices on health policy, his work includes articles on the treatment of thalidomide survivors and on the death toll of asbestos. He is a best-selling author and the recipient of the Michener Award for Meritorious Public Service Journalism, the Canadian Policy Research Award and the Atkinson Fellowship for Public Policy Research. 

 

Dr. Charles E Pascal (June 2, 2:30 pm, Sudbury, ON)

Dr. Charles Pascal is a Canadian educator with expertise in early and higher education, public policy and leadership development. In 2007, he was appointed Ontario’s Special Advisor on Early Learning. In June 2009, he released his seminal report With Our Best Future in Mind: Implementing Early Learning in Ontario, which has informed policy and practice across and outside of Canada.  Dr. Pascal also serves as Chair of the Ontario Council of Regents for the province’s colleges of applied arts and technology and has held several Ontario Deputy Minister positions including the Premier’s Council on Health, Well-Being and Social Justice.

 

Joseph Roberts (June 23, 2:00 pm, Barrie, ON)

Joseph Roberts is a social activist, author, motivational speaker and CEO. Born and raised in Barrie, Mr. Roberts overcame personal struggles with addiction, poverty and homelessness.  He created a foundation dedicated to youth drug prevention after entering an alcohol and drug intensive treatment program.  As a motivational speaker, Mr. Roberts has reached thousands of young people.  He is currently leading a campaign to end homelessness among youth.  He was named to the Maclean’s Magazine’s Honour Roll in 2003 and has won several awards for his public service.

Historian Gaétan Gervais donates more than 50 years of Franco-Ontarian archives to Laurentian University

Historian Gaétan Gervais donates more than 50 years of Franco-Ontarian archives to Laurentian University

During the 6th Salon du livre du Grand Sudbury (Sudbury’s French Book Fair), historian Gaétan Gervais announced the donation.

May 8, 2014 – Today, during the 6th Salon du livre du Grand Sudbury (Sudbury’s French Book Fair), historian Gaétan Gervais announced the donation of his personal collection chronicling more than 50 years of Franco-Ontarian history to the Archives at Laurentian University. Encompassing 1950-2000, this important component of Franco-Ontarian heritage will add to the archival holdings of organizations and individuals in Northern Ontario as well as the seven searchable special collections held on the first floor of the J.N.-Desmarais Library at Laurentian University.

 

“By donating my archives to Laurentian University, I hope to convey to future generations some sense of the setbacks and successes that marked an important period for Ontario’s Francophones in modern times,” said Gaétan Gervais who holds an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from Laurentian (2011). “Our culture was built on the collective efforts of a community that is very proud of its roots. Today, I give to this community a portion of the invaluable treasure that is our Franco-Ontarian heritage.”

 

“We are especially honoured that Gaétan Gervais, emeritus professor in our Department of History at Laurentian University, has entrusted his alma mater with the task of maintaining the archives he has accumulated over his life, which he has devoted to education and enhancing the Francophone presence in Ontario,” added Dominic Giroux, Laurentian University president and vice-chancellor. “To archive more than 400 boxes of this valuable collection donated by Gaétan Gervais adds tremendous wealth that is unique to French Ontario to our holdings.”