On Thursday, November 13, 2025, Mount Saint Vincent University celebrated a new group of honourees who have recently been installed on the Riva Spatz Women’s Wall of Honour. Families and friends gathered with the new honourees and MSVU representatives to mark the occasion.
The only one of its kind in Canada, the Riva Spatz Women’s Wall of Honour (WWOH) at MSVU is a celebration of extraordinary women from all walks of life. The name of each honouree is engraved on a leaf on the wall as a lasting tribute to inspiring women who have made a difference across family, community, and profession. Today, the wall bears the names of more than 600 women.
The whole installation is named in honour of lead donor Jim Spatz’s late mother, Riva. As a young woman, Riva survived the Holocaust when she and her younger sister and brother were sent by their parents to join a partisan group and become resistance fighters against the Nazis.
Said MSVU President Dr. Joël Dickinson at the celebration, “As you look at the wall today you will see hundreds of examples of bravery, quiet leadership, sacrifice, strength, vision, and community building. It tells the stories of cherished friends, family members, colleagues and mentors. This wall represents not just a physical space on our campus; it embodies the critical and at times challenging role that women play in building strong foundations for all of us to succeed.”
The women celebrated on the WWOH are united in a community proudly symbolized by a leaf pin they are given to wear.
The WWOH is located outside the Margaret Norrie McCain Centre for Teaching, Learning and Research at MSVU which, fittingly, is the only building on a Canadian university campus dedicated to celebrating the accomplishments of women.
As part of this unique tribute, honourees are also highlighted on the virtual Women’s Wall of Honour, a platform that extends the wall’s reach around the world.
2025 Riva Spatz Women’s Wall of Honour Honourees:
- Lynn Fraser
- Lauren Cotie
- Phoebe Smith
- Robyn McIsaac, BA ’93, BPR ’94, MPR ’11; Former Director of Public Affairs at MSVU
- Tanya Lorimer-Charles, BBA ’89; Past President, Mount Saint Vincent Alumni Association
- Tina Murphy, BPR ’88; Vice-President, Mount Saint Vincent Alumni Association
- The late Margaret Colpitts
- The late Tanja Harrison
It’s of special note that Tanja Harrison was a cherished leader at MSVU where she served as University Librarian. She passed away in December 2024 and, in her last years, became an advocate for supplemental breast cancer screening for women with dense breasts, something that could have saved Tanja’s life. She was an accomplished librarian and the recipient of numerous awards for her work, but she was most importantly a warm and thoughtful person. She will always be deeply missed at MSVU.