Honorary Degree Recipients

Mark Wallace '80

StFX Honorary Degree Recipient
May 3, 2026 (Morning)

Mark Wallace is a distinguished business leader, philanthropist, and proud StFX alumnus whose career has been defined by principled leadership and community impact. He graduated from StFX with a degree in political science and went on to study law at the University of Victoria. He practiced law until the early 2000s, including a long tenure as General Counsel for AT&T Canada Corp.

Twenty years into his legal career, he pivoted to entrepreneurship, becoming CEO of a small technology company specializing in health and safety software. Under his leadership, Medgate—now Cority—grew from 30 employees to more than 500 at the time of his retirement. Today, it is a global leader in EHSQ software and one of Canada’s largest private companies.

His leadership was marked by a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Cority achieved gender parity in new hires and implemented job enrichment strategies and internal advancement programs to ensure that women and visible minorities could progress to senior executive roles.

A formative volunteer trip to India in his twenties, during which he had the opportunity to speak privately with Mother Teresa, deepened his commitment to service. He has served as a director of both the Toronto Kiwanis Boys and Girls Club and the Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto and has made significant financial contributions to the Regent Park Boys and Girls Club and Community Food Centres Canada, the latter addressing food insecurity nationwide with particular attention to Indigenous communities.

His contributions to StFX have been transformative. He served for 10 years on the Board of Governors, including four as Chair. He also played an instrumental role in the expansion of StFX's Coady Institute, serving as co-chair in the campaign to construct its new facility. In 2016, he established the Wallace Family Entrepreneurship Fund, administered and delivered by the Coady Institute, which provides up to four annual internships worth up to $13,000. More than 50 students have benefited from his generosity, launching initiatives, two of which have since been acquired.

His impact extends well beyond financial support. He remains personally involved in mentoring students, and offering guidance drawn from his own experience. Never seeking recognition, he has focused instead on creating opportunities for others to grow, dream big, and act boldly.

Natalie MacMaster

StFX Honorary Degree Recipient
May 3, 2026 (Morning)

Natalie MacMaster, one of Canada’s most celebrated fiddlers, is renowned for her electrifying performances and her enduring commitment to preserving and innovating Celtic music. She grew up in Troy, Cape Breton, immersed in the music of the Gaels of the Scottish Highlands. By age nine, she was turning heads at local concerts and competing in Highland dancing competitions. At 16, she launched her professional career with the release of her debut album, Four on the Floor (1989).

She graduated from Teachers' College in 1990 before dedicating herself fully to music. In 1996, she signed with Warner Music Canada, marking a significant career milestone. A virtuoso of the Cape Breton fiddle tradition, her music is deeply rooted in the Scottish Highland styles that flourished in Cape Breton. Over the years, she has masterfully blended these classic sounds with contemporary influences—including bluegrass, jazz, and Latin rhythms—broadening the reach of her cultural heritage while remaining grounded in tradition.

Her excellence has earned national and international recognition. She was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2006 and to the Order of Nova Scotia in 2022. Her honours include two JUNO Awards, 19 East Coast Music Awards, five Canadian Country Music Association Awards, and a Grammy nomination. She has also received multiple honorary degrees from St. Thomas University, Trent University, Niagara University, and the Atlantic School of Theology.

In 2002, she married fellow fiddler Donnell Leahy. Together they are raising seven children while maintaining an active touring schedule of more than 75 performances annually. Alongside the continued growth of her musical career, she homeschooled her children, ensuring they as well were immersed in the Cape Breton style of music and the Gaelic language. She has collaborated with leading artists from around the world, further establishing her as a global ambassador of Celtic music.

Beyond the stage, she is a dedicated mentor and philanthropist, teaching at fiddle camps internationally, from the Isle of Skye in Scotland to Mark O’Connor’s camp in Nashville, and closer to home at The Gaelic College and as a special guest at StFX’s Summer Music Camp.

Elder Kerry Prosper

StFX Honorary Degree Recipient
May 3, 2026 (Afternoon)

Mi’kmaw Elder Kerry Prosper is a respected member of the Mi’kmaq Nation whose decades of leadership have advanced Mi’kmaq cultural practices, deepened public understanding of the Peace and Friendship Treaties, and strengthened advocacy for Indigenous rights, environmental sustainability, species protection, and the holistic health of the planet.

Raised in Paqtnkek Mi’kmaw Nation, he has extensive personal and professional experience in Mi’kmaq treaty negotiations and entitlements, natural resource management, and cultural revitalization.

He served as Paqtnkek Chief for three and a half terms and has been a band councillor since 1999. He was Chief when Donald Marshall Jr. and Jane McMillan were charged in 1993 with illegal fishing and the sale of eels in Pomquet Harbour. His involvement in the landmark Supreme Court of Canada decision that followed was critical to its success. Through steady diplomacy during the confrontations that ensued, he helped advance Mi’kmaq sovereignty while fostering peace on the waters.

He co-founded and served as co-chair of the Paqtnkek Fish and Wildlife Society (PFWS), and later partnered with StFX as Community Research Coordinator, linking PFWS with the Social Research for Sustainable Fisheries, a SSHRC-funded community-university research alliance. His contributions helped build trust and collaboration during a turbulent period and laid the groundwork for StFX’s Interdisciplinary Studies in Aquatic Resources program.

Inspired by this partnership, Elder Prosper pursued a Bachelor of Arts at StFX and became a research associate of Dr. McMillan, Canada Research Chair for Indigenous Peoples and Sustainable Communities. Today, he contributes to conference presentations, co-authors academic and popular press articles, and appears in educational video series.

He is also a valued member of the Wabanaki-Labrador Indigenous Health Research Network. For many years, he has studied with knowledge keepers and medicine people of the Lakota tradition, where he is a respected pipe carrier and has a specialization in traditional medicines. In 2018, he became StFX’s inaugural Knowledge Keeper. Each year, Elder Prosper helps guide the university’s observance of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Treaty Day.

He supports the Kiknu Indigenous Students Centre, the Deveau peer mentors, and the Indigenous Students Society. Through his initiative, StFX now presents an Indigenous pin to recognize the achievements of graduating First Nations, Inuit, and Métis students.