CBC’s star news anchor Peter Mansbridge has been named Mount Allison University’s chancellor.
In a statement released Nov. 11, Mt. Allison’s president Dr. Robert Campbell said, “Peter’s reputation is well suited to Mt. Allison.” He added that Mansbridge “is a recognized leader in his field and is committed to cultivating creative and critical thinkers with the desire to make a meaningful impact in the world.”
“The biggest benefit is that because of his renown recognition nationally, he’ll be able to take our message to a much wider community,” said Tony Frost, Mt. Allison’s director of marketing and communication.
“He is an individual who inspires and has aspired to be excellent in all he does,” Frost added.
As chancellor, Mansbridge will preside over convocations, confer all degrees and will act as the face of the school.
“He exudes excellence, he has sought that all of his life, he is a very successful person in what he has done,” Frost said. “On behalf of the institution, we’re really excited. The feedback we’ve had has been overwhelmingly positive. There is a heightened sense of excitement.”
The decision to elect Mansbridge was made by the university’s board of regents, a committee whose job it is to ensure the student’s utmost well-being and conduct are maintained.
“I am deeply honoured to have this opportunity and anxiously await my first convocation as chancellor,” Mansbridge said in a statement.
Frost added he has already received a lot of positive feedback, from students, alumni and faculty. Some alumni even told him they’d like to graduate again, just so they can receive their diploma from Mansbridge.
Mansbridge’s relationship with the university goes back more than 20 years, when he first delivered a speech during one of the school’s lecture series. He has since delivered the inaugural lecture for the introduction of the school’s Canadian studies program in 1997.
Mansbridge received an honourary doctorate from the school 1999.
The Ottawa native has won several awards for outstanding journalism during his 40-year career and has covered such events as the fall of the Berlin Wall, Princess Diana’s death and Pierre Eliott Trudeau’s resignation.
Mansbridge will continue with his job as a news anchor for CBC television, hosting The National and Mansbridge: One on One.
Mansbridge is the university’s eighth chancellor. He will replace John Bragg, a Nova Scotia businessman, in May 2010. His term will run through to Dec. 2013.