Two J’cans to receive honorary doctorates from University of Guelph

TORONTO:

When the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, holds its convocation on June 10, two Jamaican-Canadians will receive honorary doctorates for their accomplishments.

The citation notes that “ for more than 50 years, Trevor Lloyd Massey’s contributions to the education sector in Ontario and beyond have been truly transformative.

These have included support for students experiencing significant challenges in Jamaica, the country of his birth, leadership in Ontario’s post-secondary education system through his decades of work in the college system, and in more recent years as creator of an exceptionally innovative program focused on the development of leadership skills and designed to enhance opportunities for black high school students to successfully pursue university and college studies.”

It describes Marva Bailey Wisdom as a distinguished national champion and catalyst for change in support of social justice and equality, particularly among Canada’s black community. Her profession is directed toward building leadership capacity in community-based organisations while stimulating civic engagement, diversity, and inclusivity.

“To date, her most notable career achievement is her visionary contribution to the multi-year Black Experience Project. This study examined the complexity of blackness and its effect on all areas of Black Canadian lives. Its findings are now a landmark national resource used by community groups, governments, and the black community.”

TREMENDOUSLY IMPACTFUL

As registrar of Centennial College for 16 years, Massey, a former headboy of Wolmer’s Boys’ School, led a career defined by innovation, efficiency, and a student-centred approach that left an indelible impact on the institution.

Under his leadership, the college became the first post-secondary institution in Canada to implement a comprehensive, all-programmes, all-students online degree audit, among other significant advancements.

On retiring from Centennial College, he served as consultant to a number of colleges and universities in and outside of Canada. This included being a part of a team of Canadian educators which helped the government of Romania incubate a vocational college system.

In 2008, Massey served as executive director for an innovative college-system project (CIITE) exploring the ways the Ontario college system would leverage its educational resources and its extensive footprint across Ontario in supporting the integration into the workforce of highly trained immigrants.

Service to the wider community has always been an enduring passion. He headed the scholarship-granting services of the Black Business and Professional Association, an organisation which annually granted some 50 scholarships.

He volunteered with many not-for-profit organisations in their efforts to raise scholarship funds for post-secondary students, to facilitate the expansion of the cultural arts, and to raise funds for a variety of educational services.

In 2013, Massey, supported by a team of community leaders, founded the Lifelong Leadership Institute and its signature programme Leadership by Design (LBD) which he conceived as a legacy project when Jamaica celebrated its 50th anniversary of independence in 2012. This organisation is dedicated to helping talented black youths optimise their academic and leadership talents and achieve their highest career and civic ambitions.

In 2013, Massey was awarded the Prime Minister’s Medal of Appreciation for Service to Jamaica and the Jamaica Diaspora.

“Trevor Massey has never sought recognition, yet the passion that he has shown for the success of black youth has been tremendously impactful. Given the thousands of youth who have benefited from Trevor’s commitment to their development as leaders, I cannot think of anyone more deserving of this honour,” said Mary Anne Chambers, chancellor, who is Jamaican-Canadian.

Wisdom, who attended St. Jago High School, is a fellow of the Environics Institute. Her more than 30 years of volunteer leadership include being the chair of United Way Campaign, a fundraising cabinet member of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, and board chair of the YMCA-YWCA, and a longtime Rotarian.

“Marva Wisdom’s lifetime of contributions to the betterment of others has been deeply rooted in her desire to achieve a more just society for people who identify as black. She has done so in uplifting ways by helping to showcase history through an emphasis on our strengths, shining a light on our many positive achievements while acknowledging our struggles. Marva builds bridges that connect and celebrate people of various races and cultures,” said Chambers.

Wisdom was the founder and former president of the Guelph Black Heritage Society. She is a senior fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, University of Toronto, and the co-author of the book, “ Collecting Courage: Joy, Pain, Freedom, Love: Anti-Black Racism in the Charitable Sector.”

She was appointed to the Order of Ontario in 2023.