Henry Beissel

A distinguished professor emeritus, Henry Beisse joined Sir George Williams University — one of Concordia’s two founding institutions — in 1966.

A love of philosophy, history and literature led him to initiate programs that eventually led to the founding of Concordia’s Liberal Arts College in 1978.

Concordia’s first rector, John O’Brien, asked Henry to develop a creative writing program in the early 1970s. He established and served as director of that program, which continues to flourish at both undergraduate and graduate levels to this day.

Throughout his academic career, Henry wrote poems, plays and essays. His work Inuk and the Sun (1973) was featured at the Stratford Festival.