KAMLOOPS–Four outstanding leaders — a journalist, a computer scientist, a lawyer and a community-minded chartered accountant — are being honoured by Thompson Rivers University at Spring 2021 Virtual Convocation.
The university is bestowing honorary degrees upon award-winning Canadian health journalist and author André Picard, renowned computer scientist and scholar Maria Klawe, highly recognized litigation lawyer Marvin Storrow and Kamloops Chartered Professional Accountant and community leader Norman Daley.
All four will receive their degrees and give video recorded messages to inspire graduates at the convocation ceremony on Thursday, June 17.
An honorary degree is the highest form of recognition offered by TRU and awarded for demonstrated excellence in the fields of public affairs, the sciences, arts, humanities, business, law and philanthropy.
Virtual convocation begins at 10 a.m., when students and their proud families and friends can view the specific web page for their faculty. There will be videos from deans, the provost, Elders and government officials, as well as the honorary degree recipients and valedictorians. There is also a virtual guestbook where well-wishers and graduates can share messages.
Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, André Picard
André Picard
André Picard is an award-winning journalist and best-selling author who has devoted his career to advocating for better health care for Canadians. Over his 30-plus years at The Globe and Mail, he has distinguished himself as one of Canada’s leading voices on health policy, starting in 1987 as a summer student at The Globe and Mail covering the AIDS crisis.
His award-winning reporting includes exposés of the Canadian tainted blood scandal, treatment of thalidomide survivors, asbestos death toll and, most recently, his book Neglected No More, about the crisis in long-term care. He has received both the prestigious Michener Award for Meritorious Public Service in Journalism, several National Newspaper Awards, including being named Canada’s top newspaper columnist in both 2010 and 2020. He has also been honoured with the Canadian Policy Research Award, Atkinson Fellowship for Public Policy Research, Centennial Prize of the Pan-American Health Organization and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.
Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, Dr. Maria Klawe
Maria Klawe
Dr. Maria Klawe is a renowned computer scientist and scholar who has devoted her career to the proliferation of women in STEM. In 1977, she set forth on a decades-long journey into academia, contributing to research in several areas of mathematics and computer science. Manifesting her intentions for female advancement in STEM, she left her position as Dean of Engineering at Princeton University in 2006 to become the first female president of Harvey Mudd College.
Over her tenure, she helped triple the national average of female computer science and engineering graduates. Prior to becoming president of Harvey Mudd, she worked at the University of British Columbia teaching and serving as head of computer science, Vice-President of Student and Academic Services and Dean of Science. A renowned speaker presenting over 240 lectures, she was awarded the 2014 Women of Vision ABIE Award for Leadership and was ranked 17 on Fortune’s 2014 list of the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders.
Marvin Storrow
Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, Marvin Storrow QC
Marvin Storrow is one of Canada’s leading litigation lawyers and is widely recognized for his profound impact on Canadian law and society. Specifically, his landmark cases involved the development of law in Aboriginal title rights and fiduciary duties of Aboriginal people. He was called to the BC Bar in 1963 and worked primarily within private firms.
Today, he is a partner emeritus at the leading national law firm Blake, Cassels & Graydon, the parent company of predecessor firm Jordan, Gall & Storrow, which he co-founded in 1988. Throughout his career, he has made over 40 appearances before the Supreme Court of Canada. Marvin successfully litigated several ground-breaking cases regarding Aboriginal constitutional rights and land titles, three of which are ranked by Canadian legal scholars as among the top 15 most important cases in Canada’s history. His cases have been cited approximately 500 times in various legal reports.
Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, Norman Daley
Norman Daley
Norman Daley is a Chartered Professional Accountant and founding partner of Daley & Company LLP, Kamloops’ largest independently owned and operated accounting firm, which recently joined with Grant Thornton LLP. In addition to being recognized as a Fellow of the Chartered Professional Accountants of BC and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Daley is well known for community advocacy through volunteerism.
He has decades of service in Kamloops in sports, culture and the arts. He has led many organizations including the Kamloops Blazers Advisory Board, the Brier Organizing Committee, and the Kamloops Centre for the Arts Society, to name a few. He’s been the Kamloops Chamber’s Businessperson of the Year and has received the Pioneer Spirit Award from Mayor and Council.
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Contact:
Michele Young, Media Relations
University Relations, Thompson Rivers University
micyoung@tru.ca
