By Sonoma Brawley and Sufia Langevin – Contributors

Dr. Jessica Riddell, professor in the English Department and Stephen A. Jarislowsky Chair of Undergraduate Teaching Excellence, has been named to the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists—one of the highest honours in Canadian academia. Recognized as a leading intellectual at the intersection of the humanities and higher education and one of Canada’s most prolific public scholars on the role universities play in a civil, just society, she regularly convenes conversations about how education shapes creative democracy. Through her latest book, Hope Circuits: Rewiring Universities for Human Flourishing (MQUP, 2024), and her work with the Hope Circuits Institute, she helps campuses navigate change, complexity and crisis to reimagine how universities can truly serve the public good. Dr. Riddell is helping lead the charge to rewire institutions for human flourishing and to reaffirm the vital role universities play in sustaining democracy.

Photo courtesy of Dr. Jessica Riddell

Dr. Riddell’s trajectory to the Royal Society of Canada includes groundbreaking work: she was the first faculty member at Bishop’s University to be awarded the 3M National Teaching Fellowship, Canada’s highest honour for educational leadership and innovation; the first at this institution to receive the Forces Avenir award for the most engaged faculty member in Quebec; the first Canadian to serve on the Board of Directors of the American Association of Colleges and Universities; and is now the first ever Bishop’s professor recognized by the Royal Society of Canada. However, being “the first” is not what is important to her, when interviewed, she said, “I want to be remembered for ensuring I was not the last. My legacy, I hope, will be measured not only by personal accomplishments but by how I’ve used them to open doors for others. I’ve committed my career to mentorship, nominating, supporting and amplifying others—particularly early-career scholars, equity-deserving colleagues and those navigating underrepresented pathways in academia. I seek out these leadership spaces not to occupy them alone, but to create scaffolding and access for those who follow.” Since Dr. Riddell’s induction to the 3M National Teaching Fellowship in 2015, Bishop’s has had two more professors join its ranks. Following her Forces Avenir award in 2022, one more of our professors has been recognized by this provincial award. Dr. Riddell’s focus on building bridges for others has proven successful in the past, and she is actively creating structures that foster flourishing. This honour highlights Dr. Riddell’s commitment to re-wiring universities for inclusion and access. 

Dr. Riddell’s induction to the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists recognizes her convergence of thought leadership, scholarship and public engagement. 

As she said when interviewed, “This honour is deeply humbling. I’m so grateful to Bishop’s University for giving me the space to build, to dream and to ideate. Special thanks to the Jarislowsky Foundation for creating a Chair that allows me to advocate for the transformative power of higher education. This recognition reaffirms my belief that universities are not just part of democracy—they are on its frontlines.” Dr. Riddell’s purpose-driven commitment to creating the structures and systems change has brought to her success in the Royal Society of Canada. Her dedication to this work is a reminder of the importance of higher education for its transformative power.