TORONTO, October 12, 2010 − York University will confer four honorary doctorates during its Fall 2010 Convocation ceremonies, recognizing leadership in public service, business, health care and philanthropy.
Ceremonies will be held from Wednesday, Oct. 13 to Friday, Oct. 15. All ceremonies will take place at the Tennis Canada Rexall Centre on York’s Keele Campus (#8 on map), with the exception of the Kellogg-Schulich Executive MBA ceremony, which will take place in the McEwen Auditorium of the Seymour Schulich Building (#42).
The Convocation Web site includes a full schedule of all ceremonies. Ceremonies will be webcast at the following link, which will become live when ceremonies begin: http://www.yorku.ca/mygrad/livewebcast.
The list of honorary degree recipients, and the faculties or program by which they are being honoured, is as follows:
Wednesday, Oct. 13, 10:30am, Osgoode Hall Law School
Ignat Kaneff, Doctor of Laws (LLD) − Businessman and philanthropist
Ignat Kaneff immigrated to Canada and became a highly successful businessman and philanthropist. In 1956, he founded his own home and land development businesses, and since that time, has built thousands of homes, buildings and world class golf facilities, including Lionhead Golf & Country Club.
With his strong belief in the community, Kaneff also tirelessly contributes to many charitable organizations and initiatives across the Greater Toronto Area, as well as York University and Osgoode Hall Law School. He has received many awards for his contributions to the community, including the Canadian Citation for Citizenship and the Order of Stara Planina, Bulgaria’s highest honour. View high resolution images from this ceremony here.
Wednesday, October 13, 3:30pm, Faculty of Health
Dr. Frederic (Eric) Jackman, Doctor of Laws (LLD) – Psychologist and philanthropist
Dr. Frederic (Eric) Jackman is President of Invicta Investments Incorporated, chairman of the Jackman Foundation, a psychologist, and a staunch supporter of the arts, education, and the community.
In addition to his business, professional and philanthropic work, he is actively involved in several community, cultural, educational, military and professional organizations. His most important contribution to both the community and his profession is his founding and leadership as president of the Psychology Foundation of Canada.
For his significant contributions, Dr. Jackman has received several awards, including the Commemorative Medal for the 125th Anniversary of Canada, the Order of Ontario, and the Canadian Mental Health Association C.M. Hincks National Award for Mental Health.
Thursday October 14, 10:30am, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
Sheila Fraser, Doctor of Laws (LLD) − Accountant, public servant, Auditor General of Canada
Sheila Fraser is a chartered accountant with over 20 years of experience in public accounting in the private sector. She joined the Office of the Auditor General in 1999 as Deputy Auditor General, and, in 2001, became Canada’s Auditor General. She is the first woman to hold this title.
Fraser has always been active in her profession, at both the provincial and national levels. For her noteworthy service to the auditing and accounting professions, she was awarded the Prix Émérite 1993 and the designation "Fellow" by the Ordre des comptables agréés du Québec in 1994 and in 2009 received the Award of Outstanding Merit from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario. View high resolution images from this ceremony here.
Friday October 15, 10am, Kellogg-Schulich Executive MBA
Leslie Dan, Doctor of Laws (LLD) − Pharmacist, businessman and philanthropist
Leslie Dan is a successful Canadian pharmacist and businessman who, in 1965, established Novopharm, one of Canada’s largest generic pharmaceutical manufacturers. Among his many initiatives, he founded and chaired the Canadian Drug Manufacturers Association to represent Canadian-owned pharmaceutical manufacturers.
Dan is recognized not only for his achievements in his professional field, but as a well-known philanthropist. Among his most notable charitable acts is his founding of the Canadian Medicine Aid programme (CAN-MAP), an organization which provides life-saving medicines and other aid to the Third World.
For his generosity and many achievements, he was appointed as a member of the Order of Canada and the Order of Ontario.
York University is the leading interdisciplinary research and teaching university in Canada. York offers a modern, academic experience at the undergraduate and graduate level in Toronto, Canada’s most international city. The third largest university in the country, York is host to a dynamic academic community of 50,000 students and 7,000 faculty and staff, as well as 200,000 alumni worldwide. York’s 10 Faculties and 28 research centres conduct ambitious, groundbreaking research that is interdisciplinary, cutting across traditional academic boundaries. This distinctive and collaborative approach is preparing students for the future and bringing fresh insights and solutions to real-world challenges. York University is an autonomous, not-for-profit corporation.
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Media Contacts:
Keith Marnoch, Media Relations, York University 416 736 2100 x22091, marnoch@yorku.ca
Janice Walls, Media Relations, York University 416 736 2100 x22101, wallsj@yorku.ca
