Dr. Alan Shepard
Doctor of Laws, honoris causa
In recognition of his legacy of leadership and promotion of transformational change and innovation within higher education, and for his passionate advocacy of diversity, inclusion and belonging, the university proudly confers upon Dr. Alan Shepard the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws.
Dr. Shepard is the 11th President and Vice-Chancellor of Western University–-a post he has held since July 2019–-where he has led with a focus on entrepreneurship, research impact, global engagement, sustainability and partnership for global good. Through the guiding principles of Truth and Reconciliation, he rapidly established Western’s Office of Indigenous Initiatives. He also drove creation of the university’s Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, while investing to support the recruitment of Black and Indigenous faculty, and the funding of 75 new scholarships for Black and Indigenous students.
He is the President Emeritus of Concordia University in Montreal, and was Provost and Vice-President, Academic at Toronto Metropolitan University where he led the development of the Digital Media Zone, an entrepreneurial-focused business incubator. He has also held senior academic leadership roles at the University of Guelph, Texas Christian University, and the University of Virginia.
Dr. Shepard is a champion of university-industry partnerships, and believes universities are pillars of important social discourse as well as training grounds for the next generation, where young leaders access the tools to succeed in a changing world. Inspired by his own experience as a first-generation student, he prioritizes new models of education, transformational skills, and experiential learning.
His research is focused on relationships, national security, history and rhetoric in early modern Europe; on the emergence of a culture of scientific discourse in early modern literature; and on the challenges facing universities today.
Dr. Shepard has held fellowships in the humanities at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington D.C., and University of Toronto. He studied at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom as a visiting student; received a bachelor’s degree from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, where he was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa Society; and holds a doctorate from the University of Virginia.
He is past Chair of the Council of Ontario Universities, past Chair of the Canadian Knowledge Resource Network, and past Vice-Chair of the U15 Group of Canadian Research Universities. He currently serves as a member of the Council of Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers, and is a board member with Stratford Festival, the Greater London International Airport Authority, and the Cardiovascular Network of Canada.
