Honourary Doctorate to be presented at NSAC Convocation May 6, 2011

Mr. Alfred Dale Ells, NSAC Class of 1959, will be awarded an Honourary Doctorate by Nova Scotia Agricultural College during its 106th Convocation ceremony, Friday, May 6th, 2011.

NSAC’s honourary doctorate is designed to recognize extraordinary contributions to society or exceptional intellectual or community achievement. The awarding of honourary doctorates, an important feature of NSAC's convocation, serves to celebrate both the individual and the university as well as to inspire our graduates, their families and guests.

"I congratulate Mr. Ells on this achievement in recognition of his dedication to agriculture in Nova Scotia,” said John MacDonell, Minister of Agriculture. “In addition to his contributions to the agriculture industry, Mr. Ells has provided valuable input into the educational programs during his years at NSAC.”

Mr. Ells has made an exceptional contribution to the agricultural industry and in particular NSAC.  It was his leadership that helped to establish NSAC’s national presence and expertise in applied, skills based education. The influence of his early work in the field of internationalization is also still being felt today by students, faculty, staff and agricultural colleges and universities around the world.

“We are extremely pleased to have this opportunity to recognize the exceptional contribution Dale Ells has made to the agricultural industry and in particular NSAC,” said NSAC Co-President Dr. Leslie MacLaren.  “His lifelong contributions and leadership in agriculture, education and international development make him an exceptional candidate for this esteemed honour. “

Dale Ells attended NSAC and then Macdonald College to receive his undergraduate education in agriculture. After earning his Masters in Economics at Acadia University, Dale worked for five years as a Marketing Representative with the Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture and Marketing.  He then spent the remaining 28 years of his working career at NSAC, contributing first as an associate professor in the Department of Economics and Business and then as both the dean, vocational and technical education and director of the NSAC Centre for International Development.

As dean of vocational and technical education, Dale provided vision and leadership in the construction and equipping of the Cox Institute of Technology, the building which served as the primary academic building at NSAC for many years.  Dale served one term as president of the Canadian Association of Diplomas in Agriculture Programs further establishing NSAC’s national presence and the College’s expertise in applied, skills based education.

Dale’s commitment to agricultural training was extended to the other Atlantic Provinces via his leadership in and commitment to the Atlantic Provinces Agricultural Vocational and Technical Training Agreement. The vocational courses, many of which were continuing education opportunities designed to meet the needs of rural and farming communities brought both reputation and diversity for learners to the campus. Dale seemed to know in his heart the essence of industry-relevant, student-focused education and he led NSAC to adopt many aspects of competency-based education before this became the norm in post-secondary education.

Dale Ells is the founder of internationalization at NSAC.  By happenstance he was invited to travel with other Canadian college colleagues to visit the School of Agriculture at the Gambia College.  Dale saw the opportunity for NSAC staff to contribute globally through international development projects. Thus was started what was then called the NSAC Centre for International Development. Dale was the director until his retirement in 1994. While the focus was initially on international development projects in The Gambia, Jamaica and elsewhere, it quickly expanded to include institutional linkages and exchange programs and traditional as well as customized education for international students.

The influence of his early work is still felt today by students, faculty, staff and agricultural colleges and universities around the world.   NSAC has a diverse faculty and student body --- one that has a higher than average sensitivity to international opportunities, needs and global citizenship due to Dale’s initial vision and dedication.

Even upon his ‘official’ retirement in 1994 Dale remained active. It was during these years that he used his knowledge of NSAC to author Shaped by Service, an Illustrated History of the Nova Scotia Agricultural College.  In 1998 Dale received the recognition of Dean Emeritus of NSAC.

Convocation Schedule of Events:

Thursday, May 5th, 2011
5:30 p.m. NSAC Class of 2011 Baccalaureate Service – Cumming Hall
6:00 p.m. NSAC Class of 2011 Graduation Banquet Jenkins Hall
9:00 p.m. NSAC Class of 2011 Graduation Social – Upstairs Jenkins Hall
Friday, May 6, 2011

9:00 am Rehearsal for Convocation ‑ Langille Athletic Centre
1:00 pm Graduation procession forms at Jenkins Hall
2:00 pm Convocation ‑ Langille Athletic Centre
4:00 pm Reception Jenkins Hall