CBU to Confer Honorary Degrees on Local Cultural and Philanthropic Icons

On Wednesday, November 2, 2022, during the fall convocation celebration, Cape Breton University will confer honorary doctorates, Doctor of Letter, Honoris Causa, on two individuals from Cape Breton Island who have made a significant impact on their communities through the preservation and promotion of arts and culture and the dedication of community support through giving back, Mrs. Patsy MacMullin and Mr. Stuart MacLeod.

“Both Mrs. MacMullin and Mr. MacLeod have spent a great majority of their lives dedicated to their communities. Mrs. MacMullin’s passion and love for the arts has left us with a way to celebrate our roots and culture and Mr. MacLeod’s great generosity to his community are to be celebrated and honoured,” says CBU President & Vice-Chancellor David C. Dingwall. “We are thrilled here at CBU to welcome them into the family and looking forward to celebrating together with their families during convocation.”

Mr. Stuart MacLeod 

Stuart MacLeod is the President and CEO of MacLeod Lorway Insurance which is headquartered in Sydney. MacLeod Lorway, as it is today, came to fruition when two family-run businesses, Stuart MacLeod Limited and C.R. Lorway and Son, joined forces to create the consolidated enterprise. Today, MacLeod Lorway has ten offices and over 80 employees across Nova Scotia. It may be said that Stuart MacLeod runs his business and lives his life with a motto of personalized service, connection and support to the community. Mr. MacLeod is a true philanthropist and supports multiple charities and organizations across the Island and the province, including Cape Breton University.

Mrs. Patsy MacMullin

Patsy MacMullin, originally of Sydney River, Nova Scotia, is a talented musician, painter and weaver within the community. Her love of the arts started during her studies at the former Holy Angels High School in Sydney. Patsy understood the importance of education and she enrolled in then, UCCB, to obtain her undergraduate degree. During Patsy’s time at UCCB, Father Ora MacMannis celebrated the 25^th Anniversary of his ordination, and as a gift of the occasion, Pasty designed a tartan with the official school colours, orange and green, which is part of CBU’s tradition in many ways.

Along with the CBU tartan, Mrs. MacMullin also designed tartans for such events as the Antigonish Centennial, the 1987 Jeux Canada Games, and the city of Sydney’s Bicentennial celebration.

Cape Breton University has been awarding honorary degrees since 1989, and during that time, has welcomed people from around the world in numerous sectors into the Alumni family.

The fall 2022 convocation will be celebrated at C200 at 1:00 pm in downtown Sydney. The convocation ceremony will be live-streamed at www.CBU.ca/convocation.ca