Selkirk Presents Honorary Diplomas and Distinguished Educator Award
Over the years, individuals have contributed to Selkirk College’s success in numerous ways. To recognize these people, the college proudly presents Honorary Diplomas and a Distinguished Educator Award on an annual basis.
This year, Honorary Diplomas were presented to Dr. Jack Colbert of Trail and Michael Chapman of Nelson. The Distinguished Educator Award was presented to Dr. Peter Wood of South Slocan. Each of these individuals has made significant contributions to the college over the years.
The diplomas and award are granted by Selkirk’s Board of Governors to recognize persons who have distinguished themselves by their significant contributions to the college and/or by professional accomplishments in their field, and whose excellence has reflected positively upon the college.
Nominations came forward from Selkirk staff and members of the community. “This is a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge the extraordinary support of individuals and the impact they have made at the college,” said Donor Services Coordinator and nominator Joyce Buckler. “It’s exciting, humbling and encouraging to hear about their accomplishments and the challenges they had to overcome to get to where they are today.”
Plastic surgeon and community volunteer, Dr. Jack Colbert, received an Honorary Diploma in Liberal Arts and Sciences. Jack has been an active member of the Selkirk College community for over four decades and continues to represent the college with pride and passion. His association with Selkirk College dates back to its inception. He was involved in the community discussions that led to the founding of Selkirk College in 1966. His tenure on the Board lasted for 12 years, including a term as Chairman (1983 - 1987). To this day, he remains an "honorary lifetime member" of the Board.
Michael Chapman, recipient of an Honorary Diploma in Nursing, has made and continues to make invaluable contributions to one of the key strategic directions of the college-that of internationalization-via the international nursing practice experience (INPE) to Guatemala. Michael has been involved with this innovative educational initiative since its inception and his role has been integral to its development.
Michael's work represents hundreds and hundreds of volunteer hours devoted to Selkirk College nursing students, community collaboration and partnership development.
The Distinguished Educator Award was presented to Dr. Peter Wood. For a period of 30 years, commencing in 1968 and running through to 1998, Peter taught Biology at Selkirk College.
While Dr. Wood was an excellent instructor, he went beyond the classroom by incorporating practical fieldwork as an integral part of his courses. Experiential learning outside the classroom ranged from construction of hiking trails to the highlight of the year for many students-the annual spring field trip to the Gulf Islands.
Peter’s concern for students extended beyond teaching; he and his wife continue to provide financial support for students through the Ann and Peter Scholarship and Bursary Endowments.
Selkirk staff, faculty and management are proud to acknowledge these strong supporters of post-secondary learning and are grateful for their dedication and ongoing contributions to the college.
First published on May 07, 2009
