Honorary degree citation - Susan Mann Trofimenkoff
By: Sylvia Ruby, June 1989
Mr. Chancellor, I have the honour to present to you Susan Mann Trofimenkoff, an individual whose distinguished career as teacher, researcher, administrator, historian and author has gained her the respect of scholars throughout the Canadian academic community.
Dr. Trofimenkoff a reçu en 1963, de l'Université de Toronto, un Baccalauréat avec honneur en histoire moderne. Elle a complété sa maîtrise en 1965 à l'Université de Western Ontario et son doctorat en 1970 à l'Université Laval. Durant sa carrière académique, elle a occupée plusieurs postes aux Universités de Montréal, de Calgary et d'Ottawa. Elle a enseigné à Montréal l'histoire du Canada anglais en français, et plus tard elle a enseigné à Calgary l'histoire du Canada français en anglais.
The possibility of doing both at the same time attracted her to the bilingual University of Ottawa in 1972. In 1974, Dr. Trofimenkoff taught the first course in Canadian Women's History. She is presently Professor of History and Vice-Rector, Academic at the University of Ottawa.
Dr. Trofimenkoff has enjoyed an equally distinguished career as an author. Her interests in contemporary Quebec history, politics, nationalism and feminism are visible in numerous published works in scholarly journals and in her books which include Action Française: French-Canadian Nationalism in the 1920s; Stanley Knowles: The Man From Winnipeg North Centre; Visions nationale: Une histoire du Québec; and The Dream of Nation: A Social and Intellectual History of Quebec. The latter marks one of the first books in Canadian scholarship which integrated women into a general history of Quebec. Her current research interests are in feminism and nationalism, and she has recently published an article entitled "Thérèse Casgrain and the CCF in Quebec".
Dr. Trofimenkoff was one of the founding members of the Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women in 1976, and was a co-organizer of Senior Women Academic Administrators of Canada in 1987. Her presidential address to the Canadian Historical Association in 1985, entitled "Gossip in History", was an exploration of women's language from the twelfth century to now.
In short, Susan Mann Trofimenkoff's dedication to her academic career serves as an outstanding model for our graduates here today. C'est un plaisir de partager cette occasion spéciale avec elle aujourd'hui.
Mr. Chancellor, it is a privilege to present to you, on behalf of the Senate and by authority of the Board of Governors, Susan Mann Trofimenkoff, so that you may confer on her the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa.
