Janine Lafrenière
Doctor of Letters
(honoris causa) DLitt
Janine Lafrenière, Advocate, Leader, Changemaker. Janine Lafrenière has spent her career standing up for those whose voices are too often silenced. As Executive Director of Nipissing Transition House (NTH) since 2004, Lafrenière has been a driving force in the movement to end intimate partner violence in North Bay and the surrounding district.
Her path began on the front lines, supporting women and children fleeing abuse. Through time and experiences, she rose to lead NTH, overseeing critical services such as emergency shelter, crisis counselling, and transitional housing support. Under her guidance, the organization grew into a pillar of safety, hope, and advocacy for survivors.
Lafrenière built bridges across a variety of public sectors, partnering with schools, law enforcement, businesses, and social service agencies to ensure comprehensive and coordinated responses to gender-based violence. She chaired the Nipissing District Violence Against Women Coordinating Committee, launching powerful public awareness campaigns like Safety Net and the One Pledge Campaign, which encouraged thousands of individuals to actively commit to creating a violence-free community.
Her work extended into classrooms, workplaces, and city streets. From organizing annual vigils for the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, to hosting internationally recognized speakers like Jackson Katz, to championing bursaries that empower women through education, Lafrenière has consistently made space for healing and systemic change.
A tireless educator, collaborator, and advocate, Lafrenière has helped shift the community’s understanding of safety, accountability, and compassion. Her legacy is one of fierce advocacy rooted in care, and her impact will be felt for generations.
Jennifer Jones
Doctor of Education
(honoris causa) DEd
Jennifer Jones, OM, MSM, BA, LLB, Olympic Champion, Lawyer, Broadcaster. Jennifer Jones is one of the most decorated and admired athletes in Canadian sports history, a six-time national curling champion, two-time world champion, and Olympic gold medalist. Her remarkable career on the ice is matched by her accomplishments as a lawyer, motivational speaker, sports broadcaster, community advocate, and proud mother.
Jones cemented her legacy in 2014 when she led the first women’s curling team to an undefeated Olympic gold medal, a feat that remains unmatched. Her strategic brilliance, fierce competitiveness, and unwavering composure under pressure have led her to be recognized as the greatest female skip in Canadian history, and the top overall curler, in a national TSN poll of sportscasters, reporters, and elite curlers.
In addition to her curling success, Jones has had a dynamic and multifaceted career beyond sport. She earned her law degree and practiced as a lawyer before shifting her focus to motivational speaking and television broadcasting, where she continues to engage audiences with her story of resilience, leadership, and personal growth. As a gifted communicator, she brings authenticity and optimism to everything she does.
Throughout her life, Jones has remained deeply committed to giving back. She has served on numerous volunteer boards and participated in community initiatives that support youth, sport, and women’s empowerment. In recognition of her exceptional impact, she has received several prestigious honours, including the Meritorious Service Medal from the Governor General of Canada, the King’s Coronation Medal, and the Order of Manitoba.
Even as she announced her retirement from team play in 2024 after a storied career, Jones continues to inspire. She exemplifies how to lead with strength, live with purpose, and lift others along the way, especially in the role that means the most to her: being a loving and devoted mother.
William Prince
Doctor of Letters
(honoris causa) DLitt
William Prince, Singer-Songwriter, Storyteller, Humanitarian. William Prince’s music is a masterclass in graceful storytelling. Rooted in gratitude and humility, his songs carry a quiet power, offering reflections on his own moments of self-discovery and the larger questions we face together, ones that resonate across cultures and generations. With each performance, Prince invites listeners into a space of shared meaning, where the personal becomes universal.
Born and raised in Peguis First Nation, Prince has steadily built a catalogue of acclaimed albums, (most recently Stand in the Joy,) that trace his own journey, while offering solace and strength to others. His music has taken him from Manitoba to the Grand Ole Opry, and from national television to collaborations with artists such as Serena Ryder, The Tragically Hip, and Neil Young. Along the way, he has earned multiple JUNO Awards, the Allan Slaight Music Impact Honour, and the John Prine Songwriting Fellowship.
Prince’s influence extends beyond the stage. Time and again, he has used his platform to uplift others, including hosting A Day to Listen, through his tribute to Terry Fox, and in his contributions to national conversations on Truth and Reconciliation. Whether through a Tiny Desk concert or a heartfelt lyric, he shares his truth in ways that help others find their own.
As he continues to tour internationally and prepare new music, Prince remains grounded in his purpose: to write songs that matter and to walk with kindness. His voice has become one of the most beloved in Canadian music.