Western University Unveils Spring Honorary Degree Recipients
An icon of Canadian athletics, a globally recognized champion of science and an internationally acclaimed novelist are among the nine individuals who will receive honorary degrees from Western during spring convocation.
The degrees will be conferred during convocation ceremonies running from June 10 to 21, with addresses from the following recipients.
Steve Baker (Submitted)
John Smallwood (Submitted)
Stephen Baker and John Smallwood
June 10, 3:00 p.m.
Doctor of Laws, honoris causa LLD
In 1995, when educator Stephen Baker’s principal denied his request for new biology textbooks, Baker taught his senior biology class HTML so they could develop their own genetics unit on the fledgling internet. The director of education soon encouraged Baker to develop a complete online biology course and to work with his colleague, John Smallwood, to develop an online Canadian Literature course. From these beginnings, Virtual High School was born. Since, Baker and Smallwood have worked alongside their growing staff to write 130 unique online courses for their school and thirty-six online courses for a large virtual school in the U.S. The pair are being honoured for ensuring all students have access to quality education and are empowered to take control of their own learning.
Jay Ingram (Submitted)
Jay Ingram
June 12, 10:00 a.m.
Doctor of Science, honoris causa DSc
Jay Ingram, a prominent Canadian science communicator, is known for his engaging style across all forms of media – from radio, television and podcasts, to newspapers, magazine and books. He received two Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists, or ACTRA, awards as a host of CBC Radio’s Quirks and Quarks, before being invited to help design and co-host Daily Planet, a Discovery Channel prime time science program. He currently cohosts the podcast Defy Dementia. Ingram has received many awards and honors, including the Order of Canada.
Mona Nemer (Submitted)
Mona Nemer
June 12, 3:00 p.m.
Doctor of Science, honoris causa DSc
Mona Nemer was first appointed to her current role as Canada’s Chief Science Advisor in 2017 and was reappointed in 2020 and 2022. Prior to this role, she served as professor and vice-president of research at the University of Ottawa and director of the school’s molecular genetics and cardiac regeneration laboratory. Renowned for her work in molecular cardiology, Nemer has developed diagnostic tests for heart failure and the genetics of cardiac birth defects. She has served on various national and international advisory committees and is a globally recognized champion of Canadian science.
Bob Vigars (Submitted)
Bob Vigars
June 14, 3:00 p.m.
Doctor of Laws, honoris causa LLD
Bob Vigars is a Canadian athletics icon and the longest-serving head coach among all sports in Western Mustangs history. Throughout his 46 years coaching men and women’s cross country, he achieved unparalleled success, leading the Mustangs to capture 14 national championships and 28 provincial titles. The kinesiology professor and undergraduate chair’s inclusive coaching methods led efforts to establish women’s cross-country teams. Vigars’ legacy extends to community service, earning him many honours, including Western’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019.
John Barford (Submitted)
John Barford
June 19, 10:00 a.m.
Doctor of Laws, honoris causa LLD
John Barford is the president of Valleydene Corporation, a private investment holding company based in Toronto. He is also the lead director of the advisory board of the KingSEtt Canadian Real Estate Income Fund and serves as an advisor to the InvestEco Private Equity Fund. Barford has served on several public and private corporate boards, including the Toronto Foundation and St. Michaels Hospital Foundation. He and his wife, Jocelyn, were instrumental in supporting and leading a campaign to establish the BARLO Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Centre in Toronto, which is recognized as a global leader in patient care, research and education.
Jeff Westeinde (Submitted)
Jeff Westeinde
June 19, 3:00 p.m.
Doctor of Laws, honoris causa LLD
Jeff Westeinde is an award-winning entrepreneur, active impact investor and visionary leader in sustainable engineering. He heads a group of companies dedicated to addressing some of Canada’s most complex environmental challenges and creates some of the country’s most sustainable communities. As a partner at THEIA Partners and President of Zibi Canada, Westeinde is on the forefront of developing one the world’s most sustainable developments, serving as a global model for community transformation.
Kyle MacDonald (Submitted)
Kyle MacDonald
June 20, 10:00 a.m.
Doctor of Laws, honoris causa LLD
In 1987, after graduating from Ivey Business School, Kyle MacDonald founded Phoenix Interactive Design Inc., a pioneering banking software company in London, Ont., which she sold to Diebold-Nixdorf Inc. in 2015. MacDonald then founded Harbour Grace Holdings Inc., through which she became owner and CEO of indoor ventilation manufacturer AIRIA Brands INC. MacDonald tripled the company’s sales and profits before selling to Zehnder Group AG in 2022. She is the current owner of Quai du Vin Estate Winery in Elgin County. A two-time recipient of the RBC Royal Bank Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award, her philanthropic efforts support education, veterans and healthcare.
Randy Boyagoda (Submitted)
Randy Boyagoda
June 21, 3:00 p.m.
Doctor of Letters, DLitt
Randy Boyagoda is a prolific writer, critic and scholar celebrated for his captivating stories exploring themes of immigration, religion and identity. The author of four novels, Boyagoda’s fiction has been nominated for the Scotiabank Giller Prize and IMPAC Dublin Literary Prize and named a New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice Selection and Globe and Mail Best Book of the Year. He is currently a professor of English at the University of Toronto, where he also serves as vice-dean, undergraduate, in the Faculty of Arts and Science. He is also U of T’s first Provostial Advisor on Civil Discourse.