Past Honorary Degree Recipients
Honorary Degrees are awarded to individuals who have accomplished extraordinary achievements and remarkable service. These individuals support the values of advanced learning and the pursuit of knowledge. These individuals are of provincial, national or international status, have demonstrated a distinctive and significant contribution to the advancement of knowledge in one or more fields of endeavour, have contributed either directly or indirectly to the welfare of humankind, and have made a substantial contribution to the University and/or the regions in which its campuses are located.
Degrees
Doctor of Laws (L.L.D.), first conferred in 1773, is the most popular honorary doctorate now awarded. Despite a wide variety of recipients in the past (clergymen, aviators, bankers, sportsmen and scholars), it is now regarded as the most appropriate award for a person distinguished in general service to the state, to learning and to mankind.
Doctor of Letters (Litt.D.), first awarded in 1892, is considered to be appropriate as a reward for scholarly work of a somewhat restricted nature. It is usually conferred upon scholars in particular disciplines.
Doctor of Science (Sc.D.), first conferred in 1884, unfortunately also is awarded as an earned doctorate at several prominent universities including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Despite this confusion, it is an increasingly popular award for persons who have made distinguished contributions and preformed services in the sciences.
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.), first awarded in the 1880’s, is the honorary doctorate usually given to persons who have distinguished themselves in the humanities.
Other degrees may be conferred as appropriate. The honorary degree to be awarded to an individual is decided by the Senate Honorary Degree Committee.
The University confers “honorary” degrees which symbolize the highest honour that can be conferred upon an individual by the University. An honorary degree may be awarded in recognition of scholarly or creative achievements or distinguished public service to the country or region. They are designed by the University’s Senate, its senior academic governing body, as deserving special honour.
Archives
Lakehead University is proud to have honoured the following exceptional individuals over the years.
Doctor of Civil Law
1973 Paterson, Norman
Doctor of Commerce
2021 Paterson, Donald
2018 Deluce, Robert
2017 Dhillon, Bob
2016 Bonnie M. Patterson C.M.O. Ont. B.A. M.L.S. ICD.D
2015 Rapino, Michael
1997 Mauro, Arthur
1996 Ristimaki, Ronald
1993 Maxwell, Judith
1987 Ward, Maxwell W
1986 Dye, Kenneth M
1978 Prettie, Robert James
Doctor of Education
2022 Subban, Karl
2018 Levy, Sheldon
1990 Steele, Robert Reid
1989 West, William A
Doctor of Engineering
2000 Cardinal, Douglas
1998 MacGregor, James G
1997 Zadeh, Lotfi
1996 Pervais, Melvin
1995 Frize, Monique
1980 Cowan, Benjamin
1975 Fleming, J. Murray
Doctor of Fine Arts
2019 Pachter, Charles
2008 Pinsent, Gordon
1988 Shaffer, Paul
Doctor of Humane Letters
2021 Lockyer, Rosalind
2018 MacLean, Ron
2017 Deverell, Dr. Rita, C.M., Ed.D
2016 Virtanen, Dr. Keijo
2013 Olsson, Eva
2011 McGarvey, James “Pete”
2005 Barlow, Maude
2003 Jackson, Tom
1994 Franklin, Ursula
MacNeill, James
1989 Clarkson, Adrienne
Mansbridge, Peter
Doctor of Laws
2023 Buller, Marion
2022 Bellegarde, Perry (Chief)
McLeod, Lyn
2021 Sinclair, Murray (Senator)
2019 O'Reilly, Gwen
2017 Page, Kevin
2016 The Honourable Jean Charest
2014 Chambers, Mary Anne
Iacobucci, Frank
Rae, Bob
2013 Martin, Paul
2012 Dennis, Lloyd
2012 McLachlin, Beverley
2011 Davis, William G
2010 Belcourt, Tony
Grandin, Temple
Onley, David C
2007 Pound, Richard
2006 Weiler, Paul
2005 Fontaine, Phil
2004 Dottori, Frank
2003 Axworthy, Lloyd
2002 Arbour, Louise
1998 Jamieson, Roberta L
1996 Paterson, Robert
1995 Laskin, Saul
1994 Cournoyea, Nellie
Tamblyn, Ian
1992 Weiler, Karen Merle
1990 Agnew, Jeanne L
Burney, Derek
Erickson, Arthur Charles
1988 Chretien, Jean
Lewis, Stephen
Stokes, John Edward
1987 Fisher, Douglas M
1985 Schreyer, Edward R
1984 Aird, John B
Johnston, Agnew H
1983 Bernier, Leo
Fisher, Harry K
Howe, Bruce I
1978 Andras, Robert Knight
Doctor of Letters
2023 Low, Stephen
2019 Pierre, Marlene
Talaga, Tanya
2015 Phillips, Margaret
2014 Wagamese, Richard
2010 Highway, Tomson
2009 Dyer, Gwynne
2007 Kakegamic, Goyce
2004 Clarke, Austin
2002 Berton, Pierre
2001 Shields, Carol
2000 Sainte-Marie, Buffy
Urquhart, Jane
1999 Pungente, John
1998 Atwood, Margaret
1997 Dickason, Olive
Gwyn, Richard
1996 Dudek, Louis
1995 Findley, Timothy
1991 Black, Arthur
Lyons, Richard Charles
1988 Forrester, Maureen
1987 Fulton, E. Margaret
McIntosh, Cliff M
1986 Bateman, Robert M
Mowat, Farley McGill
1985 Johnston, Lynn
Morriseau, Norval
1984 Sheffield, Edward F
1982 Clark, Samuel Delbert
Laskin, Bora
Penelhum, Terence M
1981 Monahan, Edward J
Tamblyn, William Gordon
1979 Duncan, Alastair Robert C
1975 Waddington, Miriam
1974 Gerstein, Reva
Doctor of Music
2023 Anderson, Lance
2015 Lightfoot, Gordon
1997 Bernardi, Mario
1992 Young, Neil
1990 Bell, John Kim
Doctor of Science
2023 McDonald, Bob
2018 Martin-Downs, Deborah
2017 Wahl, Rudolf (Rudy)
2016 Cromarty, Helen
2015 Lam, Dominic
2014 Aberman, Arnold
2013 Mason, John
2013 McLoughlin, Dermot
2012 Marini, Irmo
2012 Orbinski, James
2011 O’Dor, Ronald Keith
2009 Evans, John
Stallman, Richard
2008 MacInnis, Joseph
2007 Strangway, David
2006 Franklin, Jerry F
2001 Thomas, Jack Ward
1996 Everett, Lorne
1995 Donis-Keller, Helen
1991 Armson, Kenneth Avery
Bondar, Roberta Lynn
1990 Fyfe, William S
1989 Kenney-Wallace, Geraldine
1986 Suzuki, David Takayoshi
1985 Flaherty, M. Josephine
1984 Wilson, J. Tuzo
1979 Garton, Claude Eugene
1977 Braun, Harold S
1974 McTaggart-Cowan, Patrick D
Doctor of Social Work
1996 Untinen, Lenore
1976 Crittenden, Dorothea