By Rebecca Kendall

Bill Winegard’s road to graduation took nearly 40 years. He guided the University of Guelph through its formative years as president and vice-chancellor and was awarded an honorary doctor of laws degree Feb. 24. “At last they let me graduate,” he quips.

Winegard came to U of G in 1967, three years after the campus gained university status. During his tenure, he oversaw expansion in the humanities, social sciences and basic sciences, gave students an official voice in the governance process, opened Senate meetings to the public and was instrumental in helping to create the Arboretum. U of G’s Winegard Medal and Winegard Walk are named in his honour.

Winegard Walk was named after the route he would take from his home to his office and back a few times each day. It was on this path that Winegard made a personal connection with students and staff by stopping to talk. He believes he learned more about the University from doing this than he did from working in his office.

After retiring from academia and U of G in 1975, he served as a member of Parliament for Guelph from 1984 to 1993. During this time, he was Canada’s first minister of science and chaired the House of Commons standing committees on external affairs and national defence and external affairs and international trade. He also served as parliamentary secretary to the minister of international trade.

Today, Winegard continues to be active in public service by chairing a provincial committee to allocate the Premier’s Research Excellence Awards. He was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1998.

Winegard notes that, over the years, many things have changed and the University has advanced in many ways. But he believes one thing has remained constant — Guelph is a campus where people care. And as long as that doesn’t change, it will continue to be a place where students want to be, he says
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