Algoma University is proud to celebrate the appointment of alum John Willinsky to the Order of Canada in December 2025. His lifelong devotion to expanding public access to research has earned him one of Canada's highest civilian honours.
Willinsky earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Algoma University in 1974 and maintains deep ties to the Sault Ste. Marie community, where he also taught early in his career. These experiences helped shape his enduring commitment to education and the broad sharing of knowledge.
The Office of the Governor General of Canada recognized Willinsky's scholarship in learned publishing, highlighting his Public Knowledge Project, the world's most widely deployed scholarly publishing platform, with the mission of increasing public access to carefully reviewed and vetted research, supporting a greater democratization of knowledge.
Reflecting on his early years as an educator, Willinsky recalled, "One of the great inspirations for the Public Knowledge Project was when, as a school teacher in the 1970s, I could come by Algoma University's Arthur A. Wishart Library on Sunday afternoons with my wife at the time, Pam, and sit by the windows, absorbed and fascinated by what we could find in the library's latest journals and magazines."
"Algoma University takes great pride in celebrating the achievements of its alumni, whose work continues to make a lasting impact locally, nationally, and internationally," said Dr. Sheila Embleton, Algoma University's Interim President and Vice-Chancellor. "John Willinsky's appointment to the Order of Canada stands as a distinguished testament to the enduring influence of Algoma University's academic community and its long-standing commitment to fostering intellectual curiosity, advancing scholarship, and contributing to the public good."
To learn more about Algoma University's growing alumni family, visit algomau.ca/alumni.
To learn more about the appointment of 80 individuals to the Order of Canada in December 2025, click here.
