President Timmons receives 2013 Humanitarian Award

Posted: September 13, 2013 1:00 a.m.

President Vianne Timmons, recipient of the Humanitarian Award, stands with former Rams player Chris Getzlaf, who received the Young Humanitarian Award at the Red Cross 2013 Power of Humanity Gala.
President Vianne Timmons, recipient of the Humanitarian Award, stands with former Rams player Chris Getzlaf, who received the Young Humanitarian Award at the Red Cross 2013 Power of Humanity Gala. Photo courtesy of the Canadian Red Cross.

On September 12, the Canadian Red Cross honoured University of Regina President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Vianne Timmons with its 2013 Humanitarian Award at the Red Cross Power of Humanity Gala.

Timmons received the award for her commitment to improving the lives of others through education, a passion she has had since she was a teenager.

She was inspired to promote inclusive education while working with people with intellectual disabilities as a youth and during summer breaks as a university student. These experiences led to her earning her BEd in Special Education from Acadia University, followed by an MEd in Special Education from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, and a doctorate in Education Psychology specializing in rehabilitation from the University of Calgary. 

Timmons’ experiences as a teacher also fuelled her passion for Aboriginal education. She has taught students on the Babine First Nation in British Columbia and worked closely with Mi’kmaq First Nations when she was Chair of Education at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia.

Timmons maintains an extensive research program with particular emphasis on family literacy and inclusive education. She has authored or edited nine books during the course of her career, as well as written more than a dozen book chapters and authored more than 40 peer-reviewed articles in leading academic journals. She has also led more than 30 funded research projects. This work has included leading a study examining the factors affecting the retention of Aboriginal students at universities in Atlantic Canada, and developing literacy programs for rural and Aboriginal families as well as newcomers to Canada.

Timmons is also a champion of inclusive education at the national and international level.  She is the Vice-President – Canada Region of the Inter-American Organization for Higher Education and a member of the Canada Foundation for Innovation. As well, She is currently serving as President of the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. It is in this role that she was invited to participate in the World Health Organization’s “Consultation on Autism Spectrum Disorders and Other Developmental Disorders: From awareness raising to capacity building” in Geneva, Switzerland this month.