Lakehead Convocation to Award Three Community Members
Press Release
Lakehead University celebrates the exceptional achievements of over 500 graduates in Orillia this year at the 58th Convocation ceremony, Saturday, June 3 at 10 am at Rotary Place. The University will also bestow honours on three influential and highly respected members of the Orillia community.
Juno-award winning music producer and performer Lance Anderson will receive an honorary doctorate in music; founding Orillia Campus Principal Dr. Kim Fedderson will be named a Fellow of the University; and community advocate and retired teacher Fred Larsen will receive the 2023 Civitas Award.
Lance Anderson
Lance Anderson is a Juno award-winning music producer, film composer and a multiple nominee and recipient of the national Maple Blues Award for Keyboard Player of the Year.
He holds an Honours Bachelor of Music (Composition) degree from Western University and has enjoyed a professional career as a sought-after performer and partner with some of Canada’s most respected artists.
Lance was music producer and performer on Oscar With Love, a critically acclaimed 3-CD package commemorating Oscar Peterson’s 90th birthday. Lance also co-produced the ground-breaking multi-media Oscar Peterson CD-Rom, which is considered to be one of the best resources for jazz piano in the world. More recently, Lance has arranged the first-ever orchestral score for Peterson’s Canadiana Suite, which premiered in 2017.
With his work as a professional musician/composer/performer/producer, Lance has shared his passion and musical expertise with his local community. As an artistic director, Lance has brought world-renowned artists to Orillia. His musical leadership has enhanced the cultural fabric of the community and provided education, entertainment and inspiration to fellow musicians and artists, students and countless audience members
Dr. Kim Fedderson
Kim, Annie and their children moved to Thunder Bay when he landed his dream job as an assistant professor in the department of English at Lakehead University. He went on to become chair of the department and was later honoured to receive the University’s Distinguished Instructor Award in 1995. Throughout his career, he pursued his interests in rhetorical theory and practice and published extensively on Shakespeare with his colleague and friend, Dr. J.M. Richardson.
On two occasions the family lived in Asia during his visiting appointments at Yunnan University in China and Gifu University for Education and Languages in Japan.
As dean of the faculty of social sciences and humanities, he worked closely with colleagues on a variety of initiatives, including the development of interdisciplinary programming for the University’s proposed new campus in Orillia.
The family returned to southern Ontario when he was appointed dean, and later principal, of the Orillia Campus. Here, he worked with faculty, staff, students and the community as they successfully established the university in Simcoe County.
He served, and continues to serve, on a variety of boards—Campus Co-op Daycare, Magnus Theatre, the North of Superior Film Association, Mariposa Folk Festival, the Orillia Centre for Arts and Culture and is happiest playing his guitar for his grandchildren.
Fred Larsen
Born and raised in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, Fred and his late wife Patricia planted roots in Orillia back in 1971. It was here they raised their three children: Chris, James and Joe.
He was an English teacher for 30 years and department head at Twin Lakes Secondary School before retiring in 2001.
In 2005, Fred was one of five community members asked to sit on the Orillia Mayor’s University Task Force, chaired by then Mayor Ron Stevens. As a result of the work of this group, Lakehead University’s Orillia Campus opened in 2006.
Fred has a long history of engagement with the Orillia community. He is past president of the Orillia Kiwanis Club; president of the Orillia Vocal Ensemble Board of Directors; chairman of Arts Orillia; chair and founding member of the Orillia Centre for Arts and Culture (now Arts Orillia); treasurer and founding member of Sustainable Orillia; and active volunteer for the Simcoe North Provincial Liberal Association. He also appeared several times as an actor with the Mariposa Arts Theatre company.
Fred currently lives with his wife Lois and their poodle, Jack, in Oro-Medonte.
(Images Supplied) Main: Lance Anderson, Fred Larsen and Kim Fedderson will receive special awards at Lakehead’s June convocation.
