Fiona Chan (top left), Terry Lake (bottom left), Findlay (Frank) Quinn (top right) and Kye7e Jean Sandy William (bottom right) will be conferred with Honorary Doctorates (Image credit: TRU).

By Aaron Schulze

TRU Honourary Degrees

Former Kamloops MLA, Indigenous knowledge keeper, lawyer and volunteer to receive TRU honorary degrees

Apr 7, 2025 | 11:14 AM

KAMLOOPS — Thompson Rivers University (TRU) announced its four honorary degree recipients for this year’s spring convocation.

In a news release issued Monday (April 7), TRU announced Fiona Chan, Terry Lake, Findlay (Frank) Quinn and Kye7e Jean Sandy William will be conferred with Honorary Doctorates.

Chan has had a career in financial management with the Business Development Bank of Canada and volunteered to support the arts, education and health care over 35 years. TRU says Chan has been on the boards of organizations such as the Rotary Club of West Kamloops, the Kamloops Centre for the Arts Society, the Royal Inland Hospital Foundation and the Supporting Team Excellence with Patients Society. TRU says Chan also served on three of its boards, co-chaired its Limitless campaign and created multiple bursaries.

Lake began his career in veterinary medicine and taught in TRU’s Animal Health Technology program before entering public service. He was elected to Kamloops council in 2002, mayor of Kamloops in 2005 and Kamloops-North Thompson MLA in 2009. While in office, he served as B.C.’s Minister of Environment and Minister of Health. Lake is now the CEO of the BC Care Providers Association.

Quinn is a lawyer who developed the LRM platform that reduced the cost of legal services across Canada. As a partner with A&T Project Developments Inc., TRU says he has been a visionary figure in the development of Sun Peaks. Quinn is also the former chair of the TRU Board of Governors and the TRU Community Trust. TRU credits Quinn with helping create the university’s law school.

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William of St’exelcemc (Williams Lake) First Nation is a celebrated Indigenous knowledge keeper, practical nurse, educator and cultural advisor. TRU says she has created safe spaces for residential school survivors to share their experiences and contributed to research on Indigenous well-being. As a fluent speaker and educator of Secwepemctsín, TRU says William’s work has been essential in preserving and revitalizing the language for future generations. Kyé7e, Grandmother, is an honourific of great respect in Secwépemc culture.

TRU states an honorary degree is the highest form of recognition offered by the university. It’s awarded for demonstrated excellence in public affairs, sciences, arts, humanities, business, law and philanthropy.

The degrees will be conferred during TRU’s spring convocation from June 3 to 5, 2025 at the Tournament Capital Centre.