Victoria University is honouring Dr. Jean Augustine at the Isabel Bader Theatre as part of our Black History Month celebrations. Dr. Augustine was the first Black woman elected as a Member of Parliament and appointed as a federal cabinet minister. Her many accomplishments in government include having the month of February officially recognized as Black History Month.

To honour and recognize Dr. Augustine’s lifelong commitment to equality, social justice and inclusive education, a named endowed professorship will be created: The Dr. Jean Augustine Professorship in Transformative Education. This professorship is the first endowed professorship named after a Black Canadian woman across all 3 U of T campuses and will support the Education & Society program and the Vic One Education stream at Vic. The $2.5M endowment will support the appointment of a professor who will specialize in Transformative Pedagogy and will drive progressive curriculum development, introduce new course offerings, and forge new community partnerships.

You are invited to join us for the launch of this important initiative in honour of Dr. Augustine on February 6, 2025. The evening will include a screening of Steadfast: The Jean Augustine Story, with remarks by President Rhonda McEwen and Dr. Augustine. A cocktail reception with live music will follow. Tickets are $100 each.

For more information, please contact vic.alumni@utoronto.ca.