草莓污视频导航

the exterior of a red and white one-room schoolhouse
A one-room schoolhouse in Leader, Sask. Dr. Albert Herman's first teaching gig was in a similar school Nancy Anderson, Adobe Stock

Dec. 20, 2024

From one-room schoolhouse to big city campus: Professor鈥檚 legacy memorialized with student award

草莓污视频导航 Board of Governors Chair pays tribute to father鈥檚 lifelong dedication to education

From Depression-era farm boy to 草莓污视频导航 professor, Dr. Albert Herman鈥檚 journey is remarkable.

Herman, PhD, had been a high school student when he was put in charge of the family鈥檚 farming operation near Rhein, Sask., with his mother and sisters, while his older brothers were serving in the Second World War. 鈥淗e hated it because it took away from his academic studies,鈥 says his son, Mark Herman, BA鈥82, chair of 草莓污视频导航鈥檚 Board of Governors. 鈥淗e didn鈥檛 have the time for school that he wanted to put in.鈥

Albert, however, never lost sight of his education.

When his big brothers returned, he enrolled in a nearby normal school 鈥 an institution that provided teacher training 鈥 and got a certificate in a matter of weeks. Still a teenager, he landed a job in a tiny town in southern Saskatchewan.

In a one-room schoolhouse.

The posting ended after only a couple of years because one area family 鈥 with a lot of kids 鈥 moved, which essentially shuttered the wee school.

portrait photo of a man wearing a suit

草莓污视频导航 Board of Governors Chair Mark Herman

Harder Lee Photography Inc.

Not one to waste time, Albert attended the University of Saskatchewan, earning BA and BEd degrees, and moved to Alberta, where he met his future wife, Phyllis, a fellow teacher. By the time Mark was born in 1960, Albert was principal at the Bentley, Alta., high school. 鈥淏ut he had more aspirations than that,鈥 says Mark.

While in his 40s, Albert added a master鈥檚 degree and a PhD from the University of Montana, which required moving the family to Missoula for one year and a couple of summers.

In 1969, Albert began an award-winning run as professor at 草莓污视频导航鈥檚 Faculty of Education 鈥 now the Werklund School of Education. He retired in 1985.

鈥淗e had a very good career,鈥 says Mark. 鈥淥bviously, he highly valued education from the time he was working on the farm, and he couldn鈥檛 spend as much time as he wanted on his own education, to the pursuit of four degrees, and then a teaching career.

鈥淔rom the very early days, my sisters (Karen, BA鈥79, LLB鈥79, and Margo, BEd鈥79) and I really got a good sense of how important education was.鈥

From Education to Economics

Shortly after Albert died in 2018, Mark and his wife, Jan, established and subsequently endowed the Dr. Albert Herman Award in Economics. Creating a student award as a tribute to his father made sense. 鈥淗e was a big supporter of education,鈥 says Mark. 鈥淚 think he鈥檇 be very pleased.鈥

The award, up to $2,500, goes annually to a student going into their fourth year in the Department of Economics. It is based on academic merit and research standing.

man wearing a suit standing outside a building

2024 Dr. Albert Herman Award recipient Howard Leong

Courtesy of Howard Leong

For Howard Leong, the 2024 recipient, the honour serves as acknowledgement.

鈥淵our work being recognized as the top research in the department is really something 鈥 I think it鈥檚 very noble for them to do that. And I love that this is a merit-based scholarship, where everyone is eligible as long as you鈥檙e an economics undergrad. 

It really helps with finances, but, most importantly, encourages us to become producers of knowledge for society through research, rather than passive consumers.鈥

Christa Rath, BA鈥24, who received the award in 2023, points out that she鈥檚 not a typical university student. She had a baby 16 months ago and completed her degree while on maternity leave from her full-time job.

鈥淚鈥檓 in my late 30s and I鈥檝e been at this for a while,鈥 says Rath.

鈥淭he award was a really big help to let me focus on school and not the financial concerns in my life. Just having that acknowledgement of what I鈥檝e been able to accomplish within my educational career was really nice, as well. I鈥檓 sure there aren鈥檛 too many students for whom a financial award isn鈥檛 a benefit.鈥

selfie of a woman wearting a t-shirt and scarf

2023 Dr. Albert Herman Award recipient Christa Rath

Courtesy of Christa Rath

Beyond the money, Leong appreciated the opportunity to present his research at a department event. 鈥淥ur work is not only recognized, it鈥檚 being elevated onto a bigger stage,鈥 Leong says.

High achievers are worth celebrating, according to Mark, who was appointed to the university鈥檚 Board of Governors seven years ago and has served as chair since 2022. He was also an elected member of the 草莓污视频导航 Senate for six years.

鈥淥ne of the great things about being on the board is we get exposure to superstar students, whether it鈥檚 student leaders or scholarship winners or students competing on interscholastic teams,鈥 says Mark. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e phenomenal. They鈥檙e absolutely terrific. They really give you the confidence that we can turn over the keys and say, 鈥極K, you folks can run things now.鈥欌

Philanthropy at 草莓污视频导航 is an investment in a future that promises to present plenty of challenges, says Mark. 鈥淚 believe that education and technological advances are going to be a huge contributor to solving some of those problems. We need to be teaching people to think critically, questioning, 鈥楧oes this make sense?鈥 Across the whole spectrum of education, we need more of that.鈥

Of course, an excellent example of academic success and persistence in the face of adversity happens to be Albert Herman.

鈥淗e was a humble man,鈥 Mark says of his father. 鈥淗e never spoke about his accomplishments and what he had done 鈥 how he had raised himself up through his teens and 20s. But he set his own course and worked very hard to achieve what he did.鈥

Just as a single spark can ignite a roaring flame, philanthropy is the catalyst that starts something special at the 草莓污视频导航. about the difference we鈥檙e making in the community and around the world with the support of donors like you.


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