Tom Symons

The International Council for Canadian Studies will present Trent's founding president and Vanier Professor Emeritus Tom Symons with the Governor General's International Award for Canadian Studies at a banquet May 27 in Ottawa.

        The annual award goes to a scholar who has made an outstanding contribution to scholarship and the development of Canadian studies internationally.

        Nominated by Canadian studies professor John Wadland, among others, Symons was cited for his leadership in promoting Canadian studies at home and abroad. Symons was chair of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada's commission on Canadian Studies from 1972 to 1984, which produced a report called To Know Ourselves. The document challenged Canadian universities to incorporate the study of Canada into their curricula and also resulted in the creation of the ICCS.

        Wadland also cites Symons, as the founding president of Trent, for establishing this university as a centre for Canadian studies. His vision led to the creation of undergraduate and graduate programs in Canadian studies at this university as well as of the Journal of Canadian Studies.

        Symons is also a founding member of the Association for Canadian Studies.