Four honorary degrees to be conferred at May convocation
The University of Prince Edward Island announced today that four Islanders will receive honorary Doctor of Laws degrees at Convocation 2015. Honorary degrees will be conferred upon retired business leader and Senator, and former PEI premier, The Honourable Catherine Callbeck; multiple award-winning singer-songwriter Lennie Gallant; retired educator, and former MLA, Leader of the Official Opposition, and Provincial Treasurer Patricia Mella; and beloved pastor, member of the Queens County Fiddlers, retired UPEI professor, and former UPEI chaplain Father Charlie Cheverie.
'Each honorary degree recipient exemplifies success in their chosen field, whether it be politics, business, education, religious life, or arts and culture,' said President and Vice-Chancellor Alaa Abd-El-Aziz. 'We are so excited to honour these distinguished individuals who have contributed so much to their communities. As our graduates begin to imagine how their education will lead to their own success, they will be inspired by the stories of how our honorary graduands have made their mark.'
The University's Senate approved the honorary graduands at a meeting earlier this year in accordance with University policy that states that honorary doctorates of laws will be presented to individuals who display the highest levels of achievement in public and community service.
The Honourable Catherine Callbeck has a long and active involvement in business, politics, and charitable and public service groups at all levels, and is a woman of many firsts and honours. She received her early education Central Bedeque and Summerside, later receiving degrees from Mount Allison University and Dalhousie University. After a period of teaching, Ms. Callbeck returned to PEI where she became involved with the family business-Callbeck's Limited and Callbeck's Furniture. She was the second woman ever elected to the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island and, from 1974-78, served as the first female Minister of Health and Social Services, Minister Responsible for the Disabled, and Minister Responsible for Non-Status Indians. In 1988, she was the first woman elected as the Member of Parliament for Malpeque, making her the second woman ever to be elected to the House of Commons from PEI. She returned to provincial politics in 1993 when she was elected Leader of the Liberal Party of PEI, and soon after, the first woman in Canada to be elected as Premier. In 1997, she was called to the Senate of Canada and retired in July 2014.
Father Charlie Cheverie is one of PEI's most respected citizens. He was educated at Saint Dunstan's University, Holy Heart Seminary, and the Catholic University of America, where he received a doctorate in biology. He was ordained as Roman Catholic priest in 1957 and in 1959, he began an outstanding career of teaching and research at Saint Dunstan's University, and its successor, UPEI. Following his retirement from teaching in 1997, he served as Chaplain at UPEI. 'Father Charlie' also served as a commissioned officer and military chaplain in the Canadian Armed Forces. His devotion to the province and to the well-being of its people has been demonstrated in many ways, through his promotion of traditional music, his efforts to sustain and protect the natural environment, and, of course, by his dedication as a teacher. His leadership is a special blend of personal example, wisdom, and general insight into the ways of people. Over the years, he has received numerous awards-for example, the Rotary Mentor Award and Order of PEI-and was conferred as Professor Emeritus and named a UPEI Founder in 2009.
Lennie Gallant, a native of Rustico and graduate of UPEI, has been fully engaged for more than four decades in his career as a singer, songwriter, musician, and producer. He has recorded ten albums (eight in English and two in French), which have won him a host of awards and nominations from the Juno, East Coast Music, Canadian Folk Music, Étoile, and Éloize awards. He has received numerous honours including the Order of Canada, Red Cross Humanitarian Award and UPEI Distinguished Alumni Award. Mr. Gallant and his band have toured North America and Europe in both acoustic settings and with symphony orchestras, while over 30 artists from around the world have recorded his songs. His hard-hitting lyrics, chronicling the lives of people dealing with tremendous adversity and serious issues, articulate the feelings of many caught up in desperate situations. At the same time, his musical stories celebrate the beauty of lifestyle and landscape with their stirring poetry. He is very generous with his time and talent but is best known for his work with UNESCO and World Vision.
Patricia Mella is a retired educator and politician who continues to serve her Island community. Born in Port Hill, Ms. Mella received her early education in Bloomfield and Kinkora and graduated in 1965 from St. Dunstan's University with a major in English. She received her Master's Degree in Medical Sociology from the Catholic University of America and, in 1973, a Bachelor of Education from UPEI. Ms. Mella enjoyed an extensive teaching career in Washington, DC; Ottawa and Kingston, Ontario; and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. She returned to PEI in 1979, teaching Political Science and English at four Charlottetown area schools-Colonel Gray, Queen Charlotte, Birchwood, and Charlottetown Rural. Elected Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of PEI in 1990, she became Leader of the Official Opposition in 1993. In 1996, she became the Provincial Treasurer and Chair of Treasury Board and later was appointed Minister Responsible for the PEI Public Service Commission, PEI Liquor Control Commission, PEI Lending Agency, and Status of Women. She has served on a number of community organizations including the Teachers Federation of PEI, Southport/Bunbury/Crossroads Recreation Commission, Forum for Young Canadians Symposium, and Charlottetown Christian Council (as president).
The Convocation ceremonies will take place on Saturday, May 9 in the Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre with the first ceremony beginning at 10:00 am and the afternoon ceremony at 2:30 pm. Callbeck will address the morning convocation while Mella will speak during the afternoon ceremony.
