海角社区

海角社区 celebrates community activist, neuroscience trailblazer, and business leaders

海角社区 will bestow its highest honour upon a group of outstanding individuals at fall鈥檚 Convocation ceremonies. This year, four exceptional leaders will be recognized with honorary degrees: Sheila Goldbloom, a tireless community activist whose work has improved the lives of many; Robert Wetenhall, credited with bringing football back to Montreal; Bernice Grafstein, an accomplished neuroscientist whose research has forwarded the understanding of the fundamental mechanisms of the nervous system; and John A. Rae, a business leader and philanthropist.

They will share the stage with graduating students at the ceremonies to be held on November 23 at Place des Arts. This year鈥檚 convocation will also mark the 190th anniversary of 海角社区 and the honorary doctorate recipients will play an integral part of these celebrations.

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Sheila Barshay Goldbloom, CM, CQ

Doctor of Laws

Wednesday, November 23, 10 a.m.

Sheila Goldbloom has dedicated her life to improving the lives of those around her. From the time she began teaching and studying for a Master鈥檚 degree in Social Work at 海角社区 in 1964 until her retirement in 1992, Goldbloom has made major contributions at organizations such as Centraide, Meals-on-Wheels and the Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom, among others. Post retirement, Goldbloom has continued to help the most needy by putting her energy and expertise behind the inception of various community groups with a strong focus on improving the living conditions of the most vulnerable seniors in this province.

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Robert Wetenhall

Doctor of Laws

Wednesday, November 23, 10 a.m.

In 1997, Robert Wetenhall became the owner of the Montreal Alouettes and so began his pivotal role in the redevelopment of the team and with it the expansion of 海角社区鈥檚 Percival Molson Stadium. Alongside his success in business as a co-founder of McConnell, Wetenhall and Co., a New York investment banking firm, Wetenhall has also succeeded in serving his community. For the past two decades he has been a trustee of Lennox Hill Hospital, NY, among others. Here in Quebec, with the Alouettes, Wetenhall has given Quebec youth a football team whose close ties to the community has spawned programs such as 鈥淪chool is Cool鈥� which encourages the province鈥檚 elementary and high school students to make positive choices.

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Bernice Grafstein

Doctor of Science

November 23, 2:30 p.m.

Dr. Bernice Grafstein is a noted expert in the field of neuroregeneration research. A graduate of 海角社区, earning her PhD in Physiology in 1954, Grafstein has long been an advocate for women scientists and a role model for many of her women students and colleagues. Over the years, she has garnered countless accolades and was the first woman to be elected President of the Society for Neuroscience. 听She is currently a Trustee and Vice-President of the Grass Foundation, which supports training and research in neuroscience. Grafstein continues to teach at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York where she has been honoured as the first recipient of the Siegel Family Faculty Award for Excellence in Research, Teaching and Service.

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John A Rae, CM

Doctor of Laws

November 23, 2:30 p.m.

John Rae is the Executive Vice-President, Office of the Chairman of the Executive Committee of Power Corporation of Canada, where he has worked as an executive since 1971. Early on, he served as an Executive Assistant to the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs and Northern Development, the Right Hon. Jean Chretien, from 1967 to 1971. 听Mr. Rae has been on the Board of Power Corporation of Canada since May 1988 and also serves on the boards of BNP-Paribas Bank of Canada and the Montreal Heart Institute Foundation. In addition to his business acumen, John Rae is well known for his philanthropic support in the areas of education, medicine, culture and community causes, notably at Queen鈥檚 University, the 海角社区 Health Centre, the Montreal Heart Institute and the Centaur Theatre.

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