Western University will confer honorary degrees on five people for various contributions next week.
The 2023 autumn convocation will run from October 18 to October 20, with Academy Award-winning actor, director, and writer Sarah Polley among the honorees.
The others are visual artist and curator Jamelie Hassan, university leader and philanthropist Hanny Hassan, disability sport pioneer Robert Steadward, and hedge fund pioneer and angel investor Paul Sabourin.
Polley began acting as a child, playing the title character in the series "Ramona", and later, Sarah Stanley in the series "Road to Avonlea". She later shifted to adult roles with the acclaimed film "The Sweet Hereafter", followed by roles in "Last Night", and the Genie Award-winning "My Life Without Me". She had her feature directorial debut with 2006's "Away From Her". Her most recent film, "Women Talking", brought much praise and her script won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Jamelie Hassan is based in London and has had her work displayed in many prestigious galleries worldwide. She won the Governor General’s Award in Visual and Media Arts in 2001.
Hanny Hassan is president of the London-based Alef Consulting, Inc. and is known for his many charitable contributions. He was named to the Order of Canada in 2011 and won Western's Dr. Ivan Smith Award in 2019 for distinguished contributions to society.
Robert Steadward is a highly respected authority on disability in sports and was the first president of the International Paralympic Committee. He is an honorary life member of the Canadian Olympic Committee and a member of the Order of Canada.
Paul Sabourin is a co-founder, chairman, and chief investment officer of Polar Asset Management Partners, one of Canada's most influential hedge funds. He is also a past chair and a current member of the Morrisette Entrepreneurship Advisory Board at Western. He has sat on numerous not-for-profit boards.