Professor emeritus recipient of Lifelong Global Citizen Award
Posted: February 13, 2017 6:00 a.m.
Dr. Jack Boan, professor emeritus in economics, presented with the Lifelong Global Citizen Award by the Saskatchewan Council for International Cooperation. Boan is joined here by members and alumni of the World University Service of Canada (WUSC) where he led the group's activities for almost two decades. WUSC (Regina Campus) received an award under the theme of Youth and Innovation. Photo courtesy of Gary Robins
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Dr. Jack Boan, professor emeritus in economics, is the recipient of the Lifelong Global Citizen Award by the Saskatchewan Council for International Cooperation (SCIC).
The Global Citizen award is presented annually and recognizes Saskatchewan people who make significant contributions to international development, cooperation, peace, and justice.
Boan received his award at an event held at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum February 8, 2017. Other recipients of the Global Citizen Award this year are Micheal Langan, Tracey Mitchell, and Jamal Tekleweld.
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| Back - (L-R) Greg Marchildon (Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy) and Dan Beveridge (nominator). Front: Rosemary McCallum, President of SCIC and Jack Boan. Photo courtesy of Gary Robins |
In announcing the award for Boan, the Council stated:
“Jack has been a leading figure in Saskatchewan’s international development and global cooperation community since the early 1960s. Jack was instrumental in the founding of many of Saskatchewan’s international development and cooperation agencies, including the Regina Campus groups World University Service of Canada (WUSC) – where he led the group’s activities for almost two decades.”
Boan, who is 99, was born in Briercrest, Saskatchewan. He served in the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II.
He has been connected to the U of R for more than half a century. He started teaching at the U of R in 1962 and retired in 1983.
After retirement, as professor emeritus, he continued to be active in the university community and taught a graduate course in health care economics until the age of 80.
A student award has been named in his honour - the Dr. Jack Boan Medal in Economics.
He’s well-known for being a strong advocate for refugee students. He helped start the U of R Group for Refugees, a group which has assisted dozens of refugees to receive an education at the University of Regina.
Family and friends attended the awards evening to honour Boan, including his daughter and alumna Dr. Jarol Boan, a physician in Regina.
“Up until about six months ago, Jack was actively involved in World University Service of Canada in its sponsorship of student refugees,” says Boan. “He attended welcome parties, was a mentor to them, had a refugee living in his house for a year. He was at the airport one year ago to welcome a Syrian refugee, the first Syrian refugee to receive funding through a University of Regina partnership (Students Union, WUSC).”
Boan has remained active in the community as well.
The United Way recently acknowledged Boan’s contributions, naming a Lifetime Achievement Award after him. He has made significant contributions to the Regina Early Learning Centre, is vice-president of the Regina Coalition for Refugees and is a founding member of the John Howard Society.
“Jack was there from the beginning, advocating for the creation of the Saskatchewan Matching Grants in Aid program which was essentially the creation of SCIC in 1974,” says Jacqui Wasacase, executive director of SCIC. “His commitment and enthusiastic spirit are an inspiration to those of us working to advocate for better education and opportunities for all of our citizens, local and global.”