Peter Bull to receive Honorary Doctorate from St. Mark’s College at UBC 

St. Mark’s College at the University of British Columbia is pleased to announce Mr. Peter Bull — a business leader and community builder who has created lasting change in countless organizations — as the recipient of the institution’s highest honour, the degree Doctor of Sacred Letters, honoris causa.

The degree will be conferred by the Most Reverend J. Michael Miller, CSB, Archbishop of Vancouver and Chancellor of Corpus Christi College and St. Mark’s College, at the school’s 2025 Convocation on May 10, 2025.

Mr. Bull has been a longtime supporter of the Colleges and previously served on the Board of Directors. Over the years, he has helped establish a variety of programs and initiatives to benefit the Corpus Christi-St. Mark’s College community. Mr. Bull invested in and established scholarships for students and helped create the student lounge, Plato’s Cave⁠, which is like a second home to our mostly commuter student population. Most recently, he supported the creation of the Centre for Christian Engagement, which has provided opportunities for dialogue and engagement among the faith communities both locally and across the globe through its podcast, lecture series, and annual conference.

Dr. Turcotte, President of Corpus Christi and Principal of St. Mark’s, noted in announcing the decision that “Peter’s unparalleled commitment to serving the wider BC community and, of course, our own family here at the Colleges, is truly a gift. He is a leader who pairs vision with action, and is guided by the goal of bringing people together for a greater good. We could not be more honoured to present this award to him.”

Mr. Bull’s contributions extend far beyond Corpus Christi and St. Mark’s. A former player on the Varsity Men’s Rugby team at UBC, he has been instrumental in growing the program and contributing to the development of UBC Athletics in general. He led several fundraising campaigns including for the construction of the Gerald McGavin UBC Rugby Centre and refurbishment and enlargement of the Strength and Conditioning Centre in the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre; he established scholarships and endowments for student athletes and athletic programs; and he successfully advocated for the retention of several varsity sports, the hiring of full-time coaches, and more equitable funding for women’s sports.  In recognition for his service to UBC Athletics, Mr. Bull was inducted into the UBC Sports Hall of Fame in 2019.

As Dr. Turcotte noted, “Peter has transformed countless communities with his visionary leadership, using his talent, time and resources to make possible student scholarships, major construction projects, and so much more. And while his support has been key to the success of so many initiatives, Peter remains humble, kind, and full of compassion toward others.”

Outside of higher education, Mr. Bull has served on the Board of Directors of Vancouver College where he was named an Honorary Alumnus and received the Pro Operis Award. Peter is also a member of the Providence Health Care Board of Directors. At Providence, Peter chairs the Real Estate Committee where he helps steward the development and construction of the new St. Paul’s Hospital and the adjacent Clinical Service & Research Centre, one of the largest and most innovative health care infrastructure projects currently under construction in Canada.  His vision and leadership have made countless initiatives possible, including at the BC Centre on Substance Use (BCCSU) where he was the original Co-Chair of the Community Engagement Board and helped create the establishment of the groundbreaking Road to Recovery Substance Use Treatment Initiative, which is now being rolled out Province-wide.

These projects offer a reflection of who Peter Bull is. He not only sees the potential for communities to grow and flourish, he acts with generosity, wisdom, and advocacy to ensure that they can meet their potential.

In 2024, Mr. Bull was awarded the Benemerenti medal, an award from Pope Francis, in recognition of his lasting and exceptional service to the Catholic Church, family, and community.