St. Mark’s College at the University of British Columbia (UBC) is pleased to announce Sister Nancy Brown, SC – a tireless advocate for vulnerable youth at risk for human trafficking and sexual exploitation – 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 St. Mark’s College, at the College’s Convocation on May 11, 2024.

Sister Nancy is well known for her leadership role in fighting sexual exploitation and human trafficking. For decades she worked as the Pastoral Counsellor and Ombudsperson at Covenant House Vancouver, serving young people experiencing homelessness, including those who are fleeing abusive home situations, living in poverty and suffering from addictions and mental illness.

She has a B.A. and B.Ed. (Mount St. Vincent University), a Master of Religious Education (Seattle University), a Master of Pastoral Studies, with a concentration in Counselling, (Loyola University), and diplomas in Assaulted Women’s and Children’s Counselling & Advocacy (George Brown College), Domestic and Workplace Violence (George Brown College) and Addiction Studies (McMaster University).

Her expertise has been beneficial to numerous committees and groups including the Sexual Exploitation Working Group of the Canadian Council of Churches, the Archdiocese of Vancouver’s Anti-Human Trafficking Committee and Synod Committee, the Vancouver Collective Against Sexual Exploitation, and the Archdiocese of Vancouver’s Implementation Working Group, addressing the issue of clerical sexual abuse. She has also worked as a teacher and administrator in Catholic schools in Edmonton and Kelowna, served as Campus Minister for St. Joseph’s College at the University of Alberta and volunteered with women’s shelters.

“The Catholic leadership and passionate advocacy shown by Sister Nancy, through her pursuit of social justice and protection of young people, were commended by the Honorary Doctorate Selection Committee,” noted College Principal Dr. Gerry Turcotte. “Indeed, we were overwhelmed with nominations for Sister Nancy, and we could not be more honoured to award this distinction to someone who has so selflessly helped to shape the conversation on human trafficking.”

Sister Nancy is the recipient of the Order of British Columbia, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal and the Benemerenti medal, awarded to her by Pope Francis in 2016.

ABOUT ST. MARK’S COLLEGE AT UBC

St. Mark’s College is a member of the Community of St. Mark’s at UBC, which includes St. Mark’s College, Corpus Christi College, and St. Mark’s Parish. As the affiliated Catholic theological college of the University of British Columbia (UBC), St. Mark’s College offers a variety of academic programs and continuing education opportunities for Catholics and non-Catholics. Together with Corpus Christi College, St. Mark’s College is a centre of excellence for undergraduate and graduate Catholic education in British Columbia.

St. Mark’s is committed to promoting authentic Christian humanism, marked by the pursuit of academic excellence and animated by the joy of searching for, discovering, and communicating truth in every field of knowledge. The College prepares graduates who continually strive to integrate and synthesize faith and reason so that they will serve society charged with a commitment to think rigorously, to act justly and to serve faithfully.

The College offers programs that are grounded in the Catholic intellectual tradition, including a Bachelor of Arts in Theology and Culture and Master’s degrees in Religious Education, Theological Studies, Pastoral Studies and Catholic Leadership.