Dr. Susan (Susie) Brigham, professor in the Faculty of Education at Mount Saint Vincent University, has been named the 2025 recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian Association for the Study of Adult Education (CASAE). This honour was presented at the organization's annual national conference held this June in Toronto.
Dr. Brigham is a respected educator, researcher and advocate for equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility. Throughout her career, she has worked to strengthen adult education in Canada and around the world. Her teaching and research take a lifelong learning approach and explore topics like teacher education, Africentricity, migration, diversity and creative-arts-based research methods across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean and North America.
In nominating her for the award, colleagues described Dr. Brigham as "a true practitioner of our field who has contributed significantly to advancing Equity, Diversity and Inclusion principles in adult education thought and pedagogy through praxis." They further praised her "stellar publication and graduate student supervision record" and her ability to "bring everyday activism to scholarly publication."
Dr. Brigham joined MSVU nearly two decades ago and in 2016, made history as the first person of African descent to be promoted to full professor at the university. She has coordinated and advised all three Africentric cohorts of MSVU's Master of Education in Lifelong Learning program, supporting the graduation of 57 students of African descent to date in that cohort program.
Her scholarly impact is matched by her leadership in her field. Dr. Brigham has regularly held Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) research grants as Principal Investigator, co-investigator or collaborator. She is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including the 2024 Research Award from the Universities Association for Lifelong Learning (UALL) in London, England and the 2015 David Jones Award for Best Paper at the Standing Conference on University Teaching and Research in the Education of Adults (SCUTREA).
On campus, Dr. Brigham has served as the longest-standing Chair of the Alexa McDonough Institute for Women, Gender and Social Justice (AMI), during which she led eight Girls Conferences, transformative events that have empowered countless young women across Nova Scotia. In 2016, AMI received a Nova Scotia Human Rights Award in recognition of its impact under her leadership.
Dr. Brigham's influence extends beyond research and teaching. She co-founded the Faculty of Education's EDIA committee and helped guide MSVU's participation in the national Dimensions program to advance inclusive research excellence. She also served as the first Black president of the MSVU Faculty Association and established the university's Black Faculty Affinity Group to create a more supportive environment for Black scholars.
Following the murder of George Floyd, Dr. Brigham prompted vital conversations around anti-Black and systemic racism at MSVU, laying the groundwork for ongoing action toward institutional change.
In recognizing Dr. Brigham's extraordinary career, CASAE recognizes not just her lifelong dedication to adult education, but also her unwavering commitment to social justice, mentorship and transformational leadership. She has not only helped shape her field; she has redefined what it means to be a scholar-activist in Canada.
Congratulations on this prestigious recognition, Dr. Brigham!
