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During spring convocation ceremonies, May 20 to 28, 2006, ÍøºìºÚÁÏ will award honorary degrees to eight prominent Canadians in recognition of their significant accomplishments. 

Almost 3,000 student will graduate during the ceremonies, which will be held in the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium of the ÍøºìºÚÁÏ Arts Centre.

The following individuals will receive a Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, with the exception of Robert Gillespie who will receive a Doctor of Engineering, honoris causa.

John Bragg, May 23 (Fri.) 2:30 p.m, Convocation for Law. John Bragg understands the true nature of success. The President and Chairman of Oxford Frozen Foods developed his company from a local, family run business to nothing short of a global phenomenon. From humble beginnings, Oxford Frozen Foods has grown into an international industry leader, specializing in wild blueberries and exports to Europe, East Asia, the Caribbean and Australia — all the while embracing the values that Mr. Bragg is known for: integrity, dedication and courtesy. Mr. Bragg’s business acumen has extended to other entrepreneurial pursuits with great success. His Eastlink communications and entertainment company is recognized as a pioneer in communications services. He is president of many affiliated companies, and serves as director for several prominent Canadian businesses.His entrepreneurial success is balanced with a strong commitment to community, higher education and philanthropic causes. He generously gives his time and expertise to many Maritime universities and became Chancellor of Mount Allison in 2005. In recognition of his tremendous support of ÍøºìºÚÁÏ, a room is named after the Bragg family in the Marion McCain Arts and Social Sciences Building.

Robert Gillespie

Robert Gillespie, May 28 (Wed.) 9:30 a.m., Convocation for Engineering (Civil, Electrical and Computer, Mathematics, Industrial, Internetworking, Mining, Mineral Resource, Petroleum). A senior executive in the global consumer goods industry, Robert J. Gillespie helped forge the success of many leading brands including Mazola corn oil, Hellman’s mayonnaise, Knorr soups and Skippy peanut butter. Mr. Gillespie grew up in Halifax, taking mechanical engineering at what was then Nova Scotia Technical College in the 1960s, followed by graduate studies at Purdue University. Over the next 35 years, he ascended the management ladder at Bestfoods, a leading food manufacturer with operations in more than 60 countries. As executive vice-president, he played a central role in its sale to Unilever, when Bestfoods earned $9 billion a year and employed more than 44,000 people. A community leader in Ridgewood, New Jersey, Mr. Gillespie is the managing partner of Westmount Investments LLC and devotes much of his spare time to non-profit organizations and corporate boards. He assisted New Jersey’s Valley Hospital in raising more than $17 million and chaired the board of advisors for the Sarah W. Stedman Nutrition and Metabolism Center at Duke University.

Stuart Hamilton

Stuart Hamilton, May 20 (Tues.) 2:30 p.m., Convocation for: Arts & Social Sciences II. Who knows more about opera than anyone else in Canada? Stuart Hamilton, that’s who. Perhaps best known as quizmaster on CBC Radio’s Saturday Afternoon at the Opera he now teaches opera repertoire and diction at the University of Toronto. He enjoys a strong connection with ÍøºìºÚÁÏ voice students, through master classes and his work with Opera Nova Scotia. Mr. Hamilton has also received national acclaim for his Metropolitan Opera broadcasts. As one of Canada’s top vocal coaches for the past 65 years, he has inspired and coached generations of singers. As a piano accompanist, he has performed alongside internationally celebrated artists Maureen Forrester, Richard Margison and many others. Mr. Hamilton is also founder and Artistic Director Emeritus of Opera in Concert, the acclaimed concert series based in Toronto, was first artistic director for the Canadian Opera Company ensemble and was named a member of the Order of Canada in 1984. His numerous awards include the Beckmesser Award from the Los Angeles Opera League, the Toronto Arts Award, the Governor-General’s Commemorative Medal and Opera Canada’s inaugural Opera Educator Award.

Zoe Lucas

Zoe Lucas, May 21 (Wed.) 2:30 p.m., Convocation for Science I (undergrad). Wild horses couldn’t drag Zoe Lucas away from Sable Island. But they certainly lured her to the remote, windswept isle for a fascinating lifetime of biological research and environmental monitoring. A NSCAD art student on her first visit in 1971, Ms. Lucas soon landed a job there with a seal research program in ÍøºìºÚÁÏ’s psychology department. By the mid-1980s, she moved permanently to Sable, located 160 kilometres off the province’s southeast coast. Now a research ass