Canada’s largest college confers first honorary degree to Bill Davis

Toronto, October 24, 2006 --- Seneca College will recognize the Honourable Bill Davis by conferring him with the College’s first honorary degree. Mr. Davis will be presented with an Honorary Bachelor of Applied Studies degree at Seneca’s convocation ceremony this Wednesday.

“It is fitting that Bill Davis receives Seneca’s first honorary degree,” says Dr. Rick Miner, President of Seneca College. “As one of the architects of the college system in Ontario, he is responsible for a dynamic post-secondary education environment which continues to be a pillar of our province’s economy.”

It is the aim of Seneca College to recognize and honour exceptional individuals who have achieved distinguished reputations at the provincial, national or international level.

Mr. Davis was chosen because of his contribution as Premier of Ontario (1971 - 1985) and provincial Minister of Education (1964 -1971) during which time he oversaw the creation of 22 community colleges, one of which was Seneca College. During the last forty years, the Ontario college system has grown to educate thousands of students.

“I am honoured to receive this honorary degree from Seneca College,” says Mr. Davis. “Seneca was one of the first colleges established in Ontario. And while it has grown and changed in the last four decades, Seneca remains focused on its original goal: to improve access to quality education in the GTA and in the province.”

The convocation ceremony and presentation of the honorary degree will take place Wednesday, October 25, at the Toronto Centre for the Arts (5040 Yonge Street) at 2 p.m.

Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology is the largest college in Canada with more than 100,000 full and part-time students on campuses across the Greater Toronto Area. Seneca provides internationally and nationally recognized career education and training key to graduate success in the global economy. Every Seneca diploma, certificate and applied degree program is developed to a high academic standard, in consultation with industry, integrated with information technology, combined with technical and transferable skills, and reinforced by opportunities for ongoing education and re-training.

For more information, please contact:
Seneca College Media Relations
416-491-5050 ext. 2354