The University of King’s College is delighted to announce that it will award four honorary doctorates at its spring Encaenia ceremony on 16 May 2013 at the Cathedral Church of All Saints in Halifax. The four recipients are: Donald R Sobey, Tom Traves, David Wilson, and Rose Wilson.
Donald R Sobey is a prominent Nova Scotia businessman and a dedicated supporter of education and the arts. He joined the family business in Stellarton, Nova Scotia, in 1958 and served in many capacities, including president and chairman of Empire Company Limited until his retirement in 2004. In 1999 he established the D & R Sobey Atlantic Leadership Scholarships at Queen’s University, of which he is an alumnus. Mr Sobey is president of the Sobey Art Foundation and he is currently a director on the board of Sobeys Inc, a member of the Trilateral Commission, and a member of the Advisory Council of Queen’s University. Mr Sobey served as chair of the board of the National Gallery of Canada and was a board member of the World Wildlife Fund. He received the Keith Kelly Award for Cultural Leadership in 2003 and has been inducted into both the Nova Scotia Business Hall of Fame and the Canadian Business Hall of Fame. Mr Sobey holds a bachelor of commerce from Queen’s University and honorary degrees from several Nova Scotia universities, and he has been very involved in fundraising for Dalhousie University. He will receive a Doctor of Civil Law (honoris causa) from the University of King’s College.
Dr Tom Traves has been the president of Dalhousie University since 1995 and he led the institution through unprecedented growth in the numbers of students and faculty, in research dollars, and in world-wide reputation. He has been a leader in the field of post-secondary education for many years, serving as chair of the Council of Nova Scotia University Presidents, the Atlantic Association of Universities, and the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada. Prior to his time at Dalhousie, Dr Traves was vice president (academic) at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton and dean of arts at York University in Toronto. He is the chair of the Nova Scotia Research and Innovation Trust Fund and a member of the American Association of Higher Education, Association of Commonwealth Universities, and the Canadian Historical Association. Dr Traves is currently the chairman and trustee of Clearwater Seafoods Income Fund and member of the board of directors of Innovacorp. He holds a BA from the University of Manitoba, an MA and PhD from York University, and an honorary doctorate from Umea University in Sweden. Tom Traves will receive a Doctor of Civil Law (honoris causa) from King’s.
David Wilson has enjoyed a long career as a Nova Scotia businessman and also carries on the legacy of philanthropy that goes back several generations in the Wilson family. Mr Wilson attended King’s before joining the family fuel business. The Wilson family established the George W Wilson and Teresa Madelyn Merriam Wilson Foundation in 2003 and has contributed to many community projects in Nova Scotia. The Wilson Fuel Family Scholarship, established in 2009, awards university and college scholarships to Wilson Fuel staff and family members. Mr Wilson is co-chair of Wilson Fuel and chair of Kerr Controls, Ski Wentworth, and Crabbe Mountain. He was awarded the Canadian Commemorative Medal for outstanding community service for his 16 years as a Scout master. A sports enthusiast, he organized the first ski instructor course in Nova Scotia and founded the Truro Bearcat Rugby Team in the 1950s. He is the patron of the Colchester Community Workshops Foundation and served on numerous boards, including King’s-Edgehill School and the Atlantic Chamber of Commerce, In 2008 the King’s Alumni Association recognized Mr Wilson with the Judge J. Elliott Hudson Award for his support to the university. He was named 2009 Atlantic Canada Entrepreneur of the Year and is a member of the Nova Scotia Business Hall of Fame. He received the Canadian Red Cross Humanitarian Award in 2011. David Wilson will be receiving a Doctor of Civil Law (honoris causa).
Rose Wilson has been a great friend to the medical, arts, and education communities in Halifax and beyond for many years. With her late husband, G Peter Wilson, she contributed to many community projects. Rose Wilson has served on the board of directors of the Halifax Early Childhood School, was an invigilator of the Canadian Millenium Scholarship Foundation and is a current mentor in the Canadian Merit Scholarship Foundation. She also supports Symphony Nova Scotia, the Cathedral Church of All Saints, the Citadel High Legacy Campaign, the Canadian Cancer Society, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, United Way, and the Salvation Army. Mrs Wilson received the Canadian Red Cross Humanitarian Award in 2011. Both Rose Wilson and her brother-in-law David Wilson are loyal supporters of the University of King’s College, particularly the chapel choir. Rose Wilson will be receiving a Doctor of Civil Law (honoris causa).
