It is a great honour for the School of Social Work to host Wanda Thomas Bernard for a series of presentations this week, says director Robin Wright.

Dr. Bernard, a social worker, educator, researcher, community activist, advocate, and mentor, will conduct workshops with faculty, students, and staff; class visits with all undergrad and graduate students; and online webinars for members of the Canadian Association of Social Workers.

A founding member of the Association of Black Social Workers, a former chair of the Nova Scotia Advisory Council on the Status of Women, and a founding member of the Africadian Empowerment Academy, Bernard is highly regarded for addressing racial and cultural diversity in social work education and in the community.

“As a well renowned academic in Canadian social work, our faculty, students, and staff are looking forward to her in-class teaching and participation in her workshops,” says Dr. Wright.

Bernard has received numerous awards, certificates, and recognition over the years for her trendsetting work and effective community leadership, including the Order of Nova Scotia, the Order of Canada, and three honorary doctorates. She was appointed to the Senate of Canada in 2016 under the new independent appointments process.

Born in East Preston, Nova Scotia, Bernard was the first African Nova Scotian hired in a tenure track position at Dalhousie University in 1990. She served as director of its School of Social Work for 10 years, retired in 2017, and is now a professor emeritus.

—Susan McKee