Two individuals with connections to the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies are among the 78 new appointments to the Order of Canada, announced in December 2023 by the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada.
The LA&PS-affiliated and newly appointed individuals include one officer (O.C.) and one member (C.M.) joining the Order of Canada, one of the highest civilian honours in the country. Appointments recognize people whose services, compassion and innovations have shaped society and communities throughout Canada.
Officer
Wenona Giles, professor emerita, donor
Giles, professor emerita in the Department of Anthropology, who is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and 2023 York University Research Leader Award recipient, was appointed for her significant contributions to refugee and migration studies, and for her efforts to increase access to higher education among those living in refugee camps.
Member
Zainub Verjee, alumna, affiliated Fellow
Verjee, executive director of the Ontario Association of Art Galleries, was appointed for advancing representation and equitable policy legislation within Canada’s arts and culture sectors as a leading artist, administrator and critic. Verjee is a former graduate student of York’s interdisciplinary studies program, as well as a McLaughlin College Fellow at the University.
Learn more about the Order of Canada program.