Stan the Man

Professor Stanley Tweyman is a philosopher (he has written extensively on David Hume) and the master of Vanier College at York University. I also consider him a friend. Stan is a fantastic and generous college master and has just been renewed for another 5-year term. He has always been supportive of me as an mature student undergraduate and now as a graduate student. He boasts of my successes in academics and my volunteering and mentoring to other students. He appointed me as a Fellow to Vanier College while still an undergraduate - a bold and rare move. Stan was the driving force behind my nomination for the president's medal - the Murray G. Ross Award - which I was awarded in 2010. He was a proud and happy man to announce this fact at Vanier's Convocation Dinner that year where he also presented me with the college's highest honour the Master's Award for Academic Excellence and Outstanding Contribution to Vanier College. Stan remains a solid supporter of my continued affiliation with Vanier by running Existere - Journal of Arts and Literature and, this year, for volunteering time to tutor Vanier students in successful essay writing, thesis development, and such matters. For this I was recognized at this year's Convocation Dinner which also included kudos to departing VP Students Rob Tiffin, my new incoming boss Associate VP International Marilyn Lambert-Drache, and several others. Linda joined me for the dinner and to share the moment.

My thank you gift from Stan was a very nice Waterman pen with Vanier College engraved on it - which is fabulous (being a writer a really good pen is a great gift). Stan's best gift to me, however, has been his unwavering support and friendship. Thank you, Stan. You are the man!