Celebrating 10 Years of Social Innovation at Saint Paul University

Yesterday, Saint Paul University celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Élisabeth-Bruyère School of Social Innovation during an event that gathered past and current students, professors and community partners.

Founded in 2016, the School was the first institution in Canada dedicated to social innovation across all three academic cycles: bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs. Each program focuses on giving students the skills and knowledge to tackle social issues and create positive change in their communities.

The School was made possible by generous donations from the Sisters of Charity of Ottawa and is named in honour of their founder, Élisabeth Bruyère. Today, it carries forward the order’s mission of social justice and community empowerment.

“As we celebrate our tenth anniversary, we are celebrating more than an institution, students, courses, or faculty. We are celebrating a vision of social innovation,” shared Julie Paquette, Director of the Élisabeth-Bruyère School of Social Innovation. “For us, the School is a tremendous opportunity to foster change and social transformation. Our graduates are hard at work here and around the world to transform their communities, making them more just by fighting poverty, the ecological crisis, and discrimination in all its forms. We take pride in having been able to support them, even in a small way, in their efforts.”

Education in Action

With a focus on hands-on experience and real-world skills, the School’s students are empowered to take action in their communities. This year’s winners of the Bruyère Bursary are examples of how students are making a difference in their communities.

Earlier this year, Patrick Kaplo and Hamidou Tandina were each awarded $10,000 to fund their social innovation projects. Kaplo’s project, Intégr’Action Canada, supports French-speaking newcomers in Ottawa and the surrounding area through practical training, professional development and a sense of community. Tandina’s international project, Djara-Alpha, works to improve access to public services for deaf women in Mali by training public service employees in Malian Sign Language.

Both recipients drew on their own experiences to remove barriers for marginalized people, which is exactly the kind of work the School was created to support.

Honouring a Prominent Social Innovator

As part of the celebration for the School’s milestone anniversary, Saint Paul University conferred a doctorate honoris causa to François Saillant, a prominent Québécois politician, author and activist.

The doctorate honoris causa — commonly known as an honorary doctorate — is the highest honour a university can bestow. It is granted to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the University, to their profession or to society.

Mr. Saillant was honoured for his more than 40 years of community organization, social activism and political work in Québec. Throughout his career, he has championed numerous social causes, including affordable housing, Indigenous rights, and income inequality.

“We are proud to award this honorary doctorate to Mr. Saillant, a man of action and social conscience, who embodies the very spirit of what we are celebrating on the 10th anniversary of the Élisabeth-Bruyère School of Social Innovation,” shared Louis Patrick Leroux, Rector of Saint Paul University. “His dedication to creating a more just and equitable society reflects the School’s mission and the values we live by here at Saint Paul University.”

Mr. Saillant’s career is an excellent example of social innovation in practice and serves as an inspiration for students, especially those pursuing an education and careers in social innovation.

For more information:

Julie Bourassa
Communications Officer, Saint Paul University
613-236-1393, ext. 2310
jbourassa@ustpaul.ca