An honorary degree is the highest honour that Trent University can bestow on an individual and is given in recognition of exemplary achievements or social contributions in Canada or internationally. Joining the ranks of decades of esteemed honourees, the following three distinguished Canadians will be presented with Trent's highest honour during the 2024 convocation ceremonies:
Dr. Audrey Kobayashi | Honorary Doctorate of Laws
Wednesday, June 5, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. on Peterborough Campus![]()
Dr. Kobayashi is a globally recognized scholar of feminist geography, gender studies, and social justice whose work has significantly challenged the way academics think about equity and contributed to national discussions about anti-racism. Through more than 40 years of writing and research, teaching and mentorship, activism and advocacy, policy and public engagement, Dr. Kobayashi has advanced interdisciplinary knowledge about race, gender, class, ability, and identity As author and editor of foundational publications, she has shaped key academic and public policy discussions about racism and anti-racism in Canada and within Canadian universities.
As a distinguished professor emerita and Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, Dr. Kobayashi holds the distinction of being the first Canadian woman of colour elected as president of both the Canadian Association of Geographers and American Association of Geographers.
Throughout her career, Dr. Kobayashi has served as a Fulbright Fellow at the Migration Policy Institute in Washington, DC, held prestigious visiting fellowships worldwide, and received recognition for her outstanding contributions to the National Association of Japanese Canadians.
Harvey McCue (Waubegeshig) C.M. ’66 | Honorary Doctorate of Laws
Thursday, June 6, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. on Peterborough Campus 
McCue is a distinguished Trent University alumnus and Board of Governors emeritus. He made history in 1969 by co-founding Trent’s Indigenous Studies department – the first of its kind in Canada – and serving as the first acting chair of what was then known as the Indian Eskimo Studies program.
A member of the Order of Canada, McCue is celebrated for a 40-year career as a scholar, administrator, and leader who widely shares his expertise in Indigenous self-government. His diverse roles include serving as director of education at the James Bay Cree School Board in Quebec, executive director of the Mi’kmaq Education Authority in Nova Scotia, and the first Indigenous director general of what is now known as Indigenous Services Canada.
Since 1995, McCue has worked in Ottawa as a highly regarded consultant, collaborating with clients such as the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association, the Aboriginal Healing Foundation, Aboriginal Head Start, the Assembly of First Nations, Agriculture Canada, and the Department of Justice Canada. He has made significant contributions to Indigenous educational issues by serving on federal task forces, writing about Indigenous educational matters, and advising Trent University on the development of its Indigenous Bachelor of Education program.
Cheryl Perera | Honorary Doctorate of Laws
Friday, June 14, 2024 at 2:00 at Tribute Communities Centre in Durham 
Perera is a renowned international children’s rights activist, celebrated for her groundbreaking advocacy that has protected and empowered more than 100,000 of the world’s most vulnerable children from sexual exploitation. Her work began at age 16, without funding or resources, during a time when the topic was taboo. Today, she is frequently summoned to the United Nations for her expertise as founder and president of OneChild – a trailblazing organization that empowers children across the world to protect themselves from sexual exploitation.
Appointed to the Order of Ontario in 2018, Perera is a highly sought-after public speaker who has received more than 30 international and national prizes including the World of Children Founder’s Award known as the ‘Nobel Prize for child advocates’ and the World Economic Forum Young Global Leader Award. In 2006, at age 21, she was given the distinction of being the youngest recipient of Canada’s annual Top 100 Most Powerful Women by the Women’s Executive Network.
Perera’s remarkable achievements have been recognized by organizations such as UNICEF, World Vision International, and the Child Welfare League of Canada.
See a complete list of previous Trent University Honorary Degree recipients.