2005 Recipients

Mrs. Gwendolyn Hooks

In recognition of her contribution to the history of black settlers in Alberta and her promotion of learning Gwen Hooks was born in Alberta in 1920 and is the daughter of black pioneer immigrant parents. She taught school in the County of Leduc, specializing in the teaching of children with special needs and becoming principal for special needs education in 1966, a post she held for a decade. She began her teaching career with a teacher’s certificate and worked hard to upgrade her qualification to a Bachelor of Education degree, which she earned from the University of Alberta in 1975, the same year that her youngest son graduated.

Mrs. Hooks has been recognized for her contributions to teaching, and she has won prizes for her poetry — she has published two volumes of poems. Yet, it’s for her work on the history of black settlers that she is to be recognized by Athabasca University. She wrote The Keystone Legacy: Recollections of a Black Settler in 1997, a book inspired by her late husband, Mark. The book captures the struggles and triumphs of the early settlers of Breton, Alberta, which was known as keystone at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1979, Mrs. Hooks was elected president of her local Breton and District Historical Society. The organization has earned national and international attention for its work, which includes the restoration of the Keystone Cemetery, where many of the early settlers are buried.

With her motto “It’s never too late to learn,” Mrs. Gwendolyn Hooks is a worthy recipient of the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters.

Mr. Frank Pierpoint Appleby

In recognition of his service to Athabasca University, his commitment to education, and his community advocacy and development in Alberta.

After a distinguished career in teaching and military service, Frank Appleby entered politics and served as MLA for the Athabasca constituency from 1971 to 1986. As part of the Peter Lougheed team, he rose to the position of Deputy Speaker, where he carried major responsibilities for the functioning of the Alberta Legislature, and was responsible for member services and a staff of 31 persons. He held this position for seven years.

Mr. Appleby has contributed to a range of community achievements. For example, he was instrumental in creating the College of Alberta Professional Foresters (CAPF), and each year CAPF gives an award in Appleby's name to a professional forester who has made exemplary contributions to the organization.

He also has a passion for lifelong learning. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Alberta and a Bachelor of General Studies degree from Athabasca University. He has taken courses at Balliol College, Oxford; Banff Centre; University of Saskatchewan; University of British Columbia; University of Toronto; and Mount Allison University in New Brunswick. He is not only an advocate of lifelong learning, but clearly he is also a practitioner.

For the Athabasca University community, Mr. Appleby was a central figure in securing the future of the University within the Town of Athabasca. He worked hard to secure a permanent home for Athabasca University in the town with the same name. Though not alone in the campaign to “bring the University to its home,” he was a pivotal figure in this effort. While it was a controversial move at the time, there can be no doubt that the University and the community have both prospered since relocation was completed in 1985. Mr. Appleby saw his commitment to the University through by serving on its Governing Council for two full terms.

For his community service and most especially for his service to Athabasca University, Mr. Frank Appleby is a fitting recipient of the honorary degree Doctor of Athabasca University.