Clarkson Laureateships

The awarding of Clarkson Laureateships was approved by the Governing Board in 2003 and the first awards were given out in 2004, during the final year that Madam Clarkson, a Senior Fellow of the College, was Governor General of Canada. The award honours her many years of service to Canada by recognizing those members of its community who also contribute to the common good. The call for nominations email. The names of nominated community members are kept on a long list for three years.

Adrienne Clarkson

2021 Laureates

The committee met in early January 2021 under the joint chairmanship of Principal Nathalie Des Rosiers and the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson. The Laureateships were  awarded at High Table on Friday January 22nd 2021 in the presence of the Laureates’ guests and Massey College peers.

Andrew Lam

Junior Fellow

Mr. Andrew Lam, a second-year Resident Junior Fellow, “embodies all qualities necessary of an emerging leader and innovator in his community, driving change to reduce health inequities and improving the health of our population. His record of service spans community outreach for marginalized populations, local and provincial COVID-19 pandemic response, student governance, national medical education advocacy, and advocacy for universal health coverage internationally.”

Camille Orridge

Quadrangle Society Member

Ms. Camille Orridge, Quadrangle Society member, “is passionate about serving the community, of making other people's lives better, of giving hope to those who have none. She is the perfect role model for achieving much needed change by forging strong community ties. She is a gap-finder and a bridge-builder. … Wherever she worked, Camille had the instinct to spot gaps in service, to see who was underserved, to uncover the bias built into operational systems and to come up with solutions. She has an impeccable and well-deserved reputation as a strategic and effective leader, a thoughtful policymaker, and a compassionate, community-focused developer and implementer of innovative programs.”

Keshna Sood

Junior Fellow

Ms. Keshna Sood, a third-year Resident Junior Fellow, “brings seminal change to any community she joins. … She understands how to make change and bring people together in a unique way. Massey has been particularly enriched by her presence, but her engagement doesn’t stop there. She invests her energy and skills into outreach initiatives to empower and inspire the next generation of young scientists because she believes in the virtue of science, slashing of stereotypes and the power of curiosity. Her interest in the well-being of others and her perspective of bringing science and policy together is very commendable.” 

2020 Laureates

The committee met at the College on Thursday, December 4th under the joint chairmanship of Principal Nathalie Des Rosiers and the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson. The Laureateships were  awarded at High Table on Friday January 17th 2020 in the presence of the Laureates’ guests and Massey College peers.

Gurveer Bains

Junior Fellow

Ms. Gurveer Bains, a fourth-year Non-Resident Junior Fellow, “is an effective emerging leader who is invariably kind and considerate in her interactions. She has a passion for community engagement and volunteerism with vulnerable and marginalized populations. Gurveer has been an organizer, a facilitator, an educator and an advocate for a broad range of areas including food insecurity, health literacy, migration, equity, gender relations and Sikh diaspora.”

Philip Berger

Senior Fellow

Dr. Philip Berger“has a long record of advocacy and activism for health care for all people, regardless of their circumstances, and sometimes against powerful resistance. His fingerprints are all over many programs and services that exist today across Canada. Refugees, addicts, the homeless, the poor, members of the LGBTQ+ community, people with HIV/AIDS, and victims of torture have all found an advocate in Dr. Berger. His influence on the health system continues through the legions of medical students and young doctors he has mentored over the years."

2019 Laureates

The committee met at the College on Thursday, December 13th under the joint chairmanship of Principal Hugh Segal and the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson. The Laureateships were awarded at the special High Table on Friday January 11th 2019 in the presence of the Laureates’ guests, former recipients and Massey College peers.

Andrew Kaufman

Junior Fellow

Mr. Andrew Kaufman, a third-year Resident Junior Fellow “has been and remains a compelling symbol of concern for others at Massey. As a Chair of the Community Service Committee, he led Massey to participate in “Out of the Cold” program, organized the Scholars at Risk Gown Run, planned and executed the Robbie Burns Charity auction. …Andrew has also been an active and eloquent supporter of constructive improvement at Massey College in ways that embrace and reflect the growing diversity of the student population.”

Hadiya Roderique

Alumna

Ms. Hadiya Roderique, an Alumna of Massey College “has been a transformative force in every community, institution, and organization of which she has been a member. … It is one of her signature gifts as a leader in public service that she has been able to deliver uncompromising calls for equity, diversity, and inclusion across a range of organizations in such a way that they can be truly embraced. Her commitment to this advocacy, and the impressively forthright style that she brings to it, has meant real changes in the private and public sector across Canada.”

2018 Laureates

Jason Brennan

Non Resident Junior Fellow

Mr. Jason Brennan, a fourth-year Non-Resident Junior Fellow “has been a driving force in drawing the Massey community’s attention to issues of accessibility and inclusivity. … Apart from his service to Massey in many capacities, Jason’s record of involvement across the university spans mentorship, accessibility, student recruitment, governance, alumni affairs, university advancement, and more.”

Judy Matthews

Quadrangle Society Member

Ms. Judy Matthews, a member of the Quadrangle Society “has been an outstanding contributor to a series of important projects of urban renewal and cultural enrichment, with a focus on the arts, education and building a more humane community… She brings to all projects her own expertise as an urban planner, a strong personal focus, and tremendous drive and leadership, as well as exceptional financial support.”

Mary Eberts

Senior Fellow

Ms. Mary Eberts, Senior Fellow, “has dedicated her career to social justice and improving equality for women and girls in Canada and beyond… She has been a principled and fierce defender of the vulnerable and marginalized in our society, as well as of our constitutional democracy writ large…. She is a generous mentor and role model for at least two generations of Canadian women pursuing legal careers, and her leadership in our public life has benefited us all.”

2017 Laureates

The committee met at the College on Friday, December 2nd under the joint chairmanship of the Master and the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson. The other members of the committee this year were former recipients of the Clarkson Laureateship, Ms. Mary McGeer and Ms. Jennifer Levin Bonder and the College Dean of Fellowships and Programs, Amela Marin.

Ken McCarter

Senior Fellow and Chair of the Quadrangle Society

Mr. Ken McCarter, Senior Fellow and Chair of the Quadrangle Society, “has been a tireless advocate for Massey College, especially the [Quadrangle] Society and its activities – from the Book Club to Opera and now Dance, to the Mentorship Program. He has contributed to increasing and diversifying its membership. … Ken’s volunteer activities are by no means limited to Massey. He has served as Chair of the University of Toronto Press and as a Director on the Board of the National Ballet School.”

Sophie Borwein

Non-Resident Junior Fellow

Ms. Sophie Borwein, a fifth-year Non-Resident Junior Fellow “has been a driving force in drawing the community’s attention to issues of accessibility and diversity. … She has been a key member of the Massey Refugee Support Initiative and has participated in numerous activities at the college. In her own way, quietly but with the utmost determination, she keeps giving her time and putting her unique work ethic and organizational skills towards transforming ideals of justice into real progress for the communities she belongs to.”

Alexandra Harris

Non-Resident Junior Fellow

Ms. Alexandra Harris, a fifth year Non-Resident junior Fellow “defines the spirit of the place… She is a force at the College by quietly modelling civic duty and service for the rest of the community. It is how she has been able to rally Fellows in support of the many public service causes she has championed – from blood drives and outings to the Out of the Cold food ministry at St. Thomas’s Church to the Gown Run for Scholars at Risk and co-organizing the annual charity auction.”