Honorary Doctor of Laws Speech, Western University Delivered by COU President and CEO Bonnie M. Patterson Friday, June 12, 2015 10 a.m. Check Against Delivery Mr. Chancellor, Mr. President, honoured graduates and guests, colleagues on this distinguished platform, ladies and gentlemen. This is in some ways, a surreal experience, standing on the stage today at my alma mater. Never would I have thought this a possibility when I was sitting where you are today. My last experience on the stage being hooded was on completion of my Master s degree when a dear friend - the late Professor Hugh Stevenson, the Associate Dean of Education at the time - did the honour. That brings back so many fond memories. His wife, Page 1 of 8
Professor Janet Stevenson, also a long-serving member of Western s faculty, was one of my first role models as a young academic, and I am most thankful she is here today as a former colleague, a mentor and cherished friend. She personifies optimism, professionalism, and joy in life. Forty years ago this year, I began my academic career here at Western. What an unlikely start for me - a one-year contract for a maternity leave replacement that led to five great years on Western s faculty, and an academic and administrative path that you can easily read about in your program. That first step has proven to be a great career lesson for me you just never know where uncertain starts will take you. In this case it was a more profound opportunity than I could ever have imagined at the time. Enjoying that year in the classroom also helped to solidify my decision to pursue graduate studies, which put me in the company of colleagues who were exceptional teachers. That one year s experience, forty years ago, set the course for a magnificent journey. As I have looked back at that journey, Western represents an alignment of the planets for me I earned my undergraduate and graduate credentials from here - credentials, and skills, that have stood me in good stead throughout my life and career Western is the place that gave me a hand up in starting my career It fostered an environment that allowed me to understand myself and my values It offered a place where I could fail - and even fall in love - for the first time Page 2 of 8
It provided the experience in which to discover and pursue my curiosity And it was a setting and city where I met friends and colleagues I ve kept throughout my life. It is exciting for me to be joined today by two other mentors of mine, Joanne Reid and Dianne Cunningham. Joanne is a former colleague both here at Western and in many places since and a dear friend whom I ve shared many experiences with. She s taught me the value of taking a chance on change, to be entrepreneurial and to believe in yourself. Dianne Cunningham is an extraordinary London community member, my former Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities and exceptional woman leader. I have learned a great deal about humility and politics from her that have contributed to success in my career and my family. I am thankful for the friendship and guidance of these three remarkable women who have been part of my walk through life and career. H.G. Wells wrote: Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe. Now, he wrote that in 1920, but to me it represents a truism today as I reflect on my own life. Embedded in that quote is great faith in education and the power of continuous learning. As graduates, one of the greatest gifts from your time here at Western is the ability to learn. You ve learned to learn to apply research, communications, analytical and problem solving skills both within a familiar context and in new situations. That is a gift for life. We are at an advantage when we can use this ability and integrate all those skills we ve acquired as part of a higher order cognitive skill set. You must allow and challenge yourself to use them on the journey of life and career. Page 3 of 8
A long-time friend whom I taught with for many years - coincidentally a Western grad - sent me a note very early in my career that said: The beauty is in the walking; we are betrayed by destinations. [Gwyne Thomas]. I have kept that note in my thoughts throughout my life, and it s worth remembering as you start your walk outside this great hall today. Attending university was not on my radar when I was in high school. Having left home at 16 to find my way in the world, I was focused on my part-time job, paying my room and board, and finding a full-time job after high school. Sleeping on a park bench wondering what was next for me could have taken me on a path of catastrophe. To make a long story short, it was a teacher who took me under her wing, and into her home, and ensured a safe environment for me to complete my final two years of high school. One day, she asked a critically important question of me what university are you thinking about attending? It wasn t whether, but where will you be going to university. That question not only challenged my thinking, but made me pause. It dared me to dream. Today I d be called a first gen student, and one from a disadvantaged background. I know I didn t get here on my own, and I want to remind you that you didn t either. In fact, graduates please rise and applaud those who have helped you along the way. [Applause] While that dare to dream moment was a long time ago for me, I know without a doubt my university experience both inside and outside the Page 4 of 8
classroom provided me with choices and opportunities for my life that I would not have otherwise had, and the tools to ensure I was not betrayed by destinations. My learning has come in many different forms throughout my life both formal and informal, inside the classroom, but also outside of it. After a first-year academic performance that I prefer to keep locked away in a safe in Fort Knox, I took a year off from studies what I affectionately call my gap year. Living and travelling throughout North Africa and continental Europe transformed my life, and launched my understanding of what it means to be a global citizen. Whether it was crossing the desert of Libya pushing our van with a dead battery to get a jump start while being chased by bandits on camels, learning about the dangers of the white slave market when a friend lost his wife, or having to bribe our way out of Algeria when several attempts to cross the border into Morocco were unsuccessful, as strangers in a strange land we learned a great deal. And today, volunteering with a foundation that works to get and keep girls in school in the Masai Mara in Kenya, reminds me that what we accept here as a given - as our right - does not apply in other parts of the world. A teachers strike in Masai Mara a few years ago meant the girls had to return to their villages or orphanages; and when the strike ended, quite a number of them didn t come back to school they were married off for dowry; the break in the school year had meant the contract signed by their guardians to not take them from school was null and void. Some girls were as young as 11. These are real consequences, perhaps unintended, in a deeply Page 5 of 8
different culture, that took away what to us is a basic right and requirement to complete elementary and secondary school. Those experiences and many others, whether from the early 70s or more recently, are constant reminders to me of what we sometimes take for granted in the Western world. They were game changers in my understanding of culture and society, of politics and democracy, of the transformational impact of education and its role in staving off catastrophe. And as a student of public administration and politics in my undergraduate studies, those experiences reaffirmed for me that, while democracies are sometimes messy, we must be strident in our engagement to protect the rights and freedoms we enjoy in Canada. Those experiences continue to reaffirm for me why our universities matter and why we must work harder in our quest to internationalize the student experience and create truly global citizens. Our shared world faces many critical challenges, and not just from the perspective of a global economy, but also of civil society. As individuals, we must also accept that we have a personal responsibility to learn more in a global context; we are not isolated islands unto ourselves [Donne]. Working in a university setting all my life has provided me a dynamic environment in which to learn something new every day. I am continuously inspired by the students I meet. I ve learned from those I ve taught and been consistently impressed by the commitment and intellect of the faculty within our universities and the many other people who devote their lives to student success and their own learning. Page 6 of 8
My life has certainly pushed me to work outside my comfort zone! Stepping outside of what s familiar is not an easy thing and truthfully it s a bit scary, but it s a great technique to help you grow and continuously learn. I consider my 40 years serving the university sector both a pleasure and a privilege. University administration has allowed me to be in a real time lab every day and practice my passion - yes, passion! I love universities and their capacity to transform lives, to inspire, to create room to understand oneself, to prepare you for that walk that provides choice and opportunity. Finding the PASSION in what you do is a critical success factor whether in your career or in your life. Winston Churchill, who gave the shortest recorded convocation address in history, focused his message on five words never, never, never give up. Now that s a paraphrase, as he actually said 23 words: "Never, never, never, never in nothing, great or small, large or petty never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense. I haven t been quite that brief in my remarks this morning. But I have tried to share with you something from what my university life and career has taught me. Let me reiterate not in five short words like Churchill, but in five small bits of advice - 1. Learn something new every day, especially from those around you. 2. Challenge yourself to work outside your comfort zone, whether locally or globally. 3. Find your passion, and that requires that you take the time to get to know yourself and examine your values. Page 7 of 8
4. Don t be betrayed by destinations; enjoy the career journey and life embraces. And finally: 5. Remember the Wizard of Oz you have a heart, a brain, and courage. You hold all the attributes of emotional intelligence waiting to be applied. Western graduates: my best wishes to you on your life s path. Carry your experience at Western with pride, purpose and passion as you celebrate your graduation today. Thank you. Merci. Meegwich. Page 8 of 8