Naomi Hersom

Naomi Hersom

Doctor of Civil Law

Dr. Naomi Hersom is completing her term of office as President of Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax. She received a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Education and Masters of Education from the University of Manitoba and a Doctorate of Philosophy from the University of Alberta. Her distinguished teaching and administrative career began in the elementary schools of Winnipeg and led her to teach in the Faculty of Education, at the Universities of Alberta and British Columbia. In 1981, she became dean of the College of Education, University of Saskatchewan, where her work included the expansion of technical and vocational teacher education programs, and the development of distance education.

Dr. Hersom has made substantial contributions to the cause of education, serving as President of both the Canadian Society for the Study of Higher Education and the Canadian Society for the study of Education; as a Vice-President of the Canadian Education Association; and a member of the Advisory Academic Panel of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). For her work in education and other areas of public service, notably the Inter-varsity Christian Fellowship of Canada, she has received numerous awards, including YWCA Woman of the Year. In 1987, she was invested Grand Dame of Merit, Order of the Knights of Malta.

She has been tireless in her teaching, writing and administrative efforts to promote many causes, not the least of those concerning the role and wellbeing of women. She has been a member of the Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women and the UNESCO Status of Women Sub commission. She holds honorary degrees from Manitoba, McGill and York Universities, as well as the University of Ottawa. She has published 58 papers on a wide range of subjects, and, in addition, has given her time to research and deliver a staggering 153 talks and addresses to bodies as widely ranging as pregnancy crisis centre and SSHRC.