Posted on May 13: Thirty-one to receive degrees at Divinity College Convocation
Divinity College will confer degrees on 31 McMaster graduands at its annual Spring Convocation ceremony today (Tuesday, May 13).
The graduation will be held at 8 p.m. in Convocation Hall. Honorary degrees will be presented to Neil Snider, president of Trinity Western University and Leonard Cullen, a Canadian horticulturist and long-time member and supporter of the Baptist Church.
R. Neil Snider, Doctor of Divinity
Neil Snider has been president of Trinity Western University in British Columbia since 1974. Born in Alberta, he received his theological training at Briercrest Bible Institute (now Briercrest Bible College) in Caronport, Saskatchewan. He received his BA in 1962 from the University of Winnipeg. He went on to study psychology and educational administration at the University of Manitoba, receiving his B.Ed. and M.Ed. degrees from the university in 1967 and 1970. He completed his PhD at the University of Oregon, where his main areas of study were higher education and educational administration.
In addition to having special interests in higher education and educational administration, Snider has also studied the sociology of complex organizations and organizational theory.
Prior to joining Trinity he was dean of faculty, dean of students and acting president of Winnipeg Bible College.
His duties at Trinity are complimented by a rigorous speaking schedule that takes him to churches and conferences across North America.
Snider will give the Convocation address.
Leonard Cullen, Doctor of Divinity
Leonard Cullen, president of Cullen Gardens, has devoted a lifetime to horticulture and the Baptist Church. Born in Toronto, he started working for landscape gardener John Weall when he was 17. Five years later he purchased Weall's business.
Cullen has been involved in the Baptist Church for most of his lifetime, serving as second and then first vice-president of the Toronto Baptist Young Peoples' Union in 1946-1947. He became president of the union in 1948, then deacon of Brook Avenue Baptist Church from 1953 to 1957. He joined the Agincourt Baptist Church in 1958 and continues to be active in this church community today.
He has given years of service to the Baptist movement as an active fundraiser and supporter of a variety of church initiatives. To raise funds for one campaign, Cullen and his wife, Connie, biked 800 miles.
As a horticulturist, he served as president of the Canadian Association of Nurserymen and president of the Canadian Nursery Trades Association. In 1966, he purchased land in Whitby for the development of Cullen Gardens Inc. In 1987, the Financial Post named Weall and Cullen as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work for in Canada.
In 1983, the Town of Whitby named Cullen Man of the Year for the creation of Cullen Gardens and Miniature Village. He also received in 1987 the Canadian Business Achievement Award from the Canadian Government for Cullen Country Barns in Markham, Ontario. The Ontario Heritage Foundation honoured him with its Achievement Award in 1997 for moving and restoring the 1812 Lynde House, one of Ontario's oldest buildings.
