Dale Ells
May 2011 Honorary Degree Recipient
Doctor of Laws (honoris causa)
Born into a well-known Nova Scotian farm family, Dale Ells attended NSAC and then Macdonald College to receive his undergraduate education in agriculture. After earning his Masters in Economics at Acadia University, Dale worked for five years as a marketing representative with the Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture and Marketing. He then spent the remaining 28 years of his working career at NSAC, contributing first as an associate professor in the Department of Economics and Business and then as both the dean, vocational and technical education and director of the NSAC Centre for International Development.
As dean of vocational and technical education, Dale provided vision and leadership in the construction and equipping of the Cox Institute of Technology; the building which served as the primary academic buillding at NSAC for many years. Dale served one term as president of the Canadian Association of Diplomas in Agriculture Programs further establishing NSAC's national presence and the College's expertise in applied, skills based education.
Dale's commitment to agricultural training was extended to the Atlantic Provinces via his leadership in and commitment to the Atlantic Provinces Agricultural Vocational and Technical Training Agreement. The vocational courses, many of which were continuing education opportunities designed to meet the needs of rural and farming communities, brought both reputation and diversity for learners to the campus. Dale seemed to know in his heart the essence of industry-relevant, student-focused education and he led NSAC to adopt many aspects of competency-based education before this became the norm in post-secondary education.
Dale Ells is the founder of internationalization at NSAC. By happenstance he was invited to travel with other Canadian college colleagues to visit the School of Agriculture at the Gambia College. Dale saw the opportunity for NSAC staff to contribute globally through international development projects. Thus was started what was then called the NSAC Centre for International Development. Dale was the director until his retirement in 1994. While the focus was initially on international development projects in The Gambia, Jamaica and elsewhere, it quickly expanded to include insitutional linkages and exchange programs and traditional as well as customized education for international students. The influence of his early work is still felt today by students, faculty and student body -- one that has a higher than average sensitivity to international opportunities, needs and global citizenship due to Dale's initial vision and dedication.
Even upon his "official" retirement in 1994 Dale remained active. It was during these years that he used his knowledge of NSAC to author Shaped Through Service, an Illustrated History of the Nova Scotia Agricultural College. In 1988 Dale received the recognition of Dean Emeritus of NSAC.
Mr. President and Vice-Chancellor, it is with great pleasure that I present Dale Ells for the Degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa.
Ìý
Ìý