Before moving on to the new year, let’s reflect on some of MSVU’s greatest moments from 2025.
This year, we celebrated some big announcements and the achievements of many extraordinary members of our university community.
Here are the stories that garnered the biggest responses in 2025 across MSVU channels and external media too.
10. MSVU Mystics’ successful ACAA championship weekend
Did you know that MSVU is home to the all-time leading varsity athletics program in the Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association, with the most championship wins to our name? This past fall, our women’s soccer team claimed another ACAA championship win and went on to have one of their best showings at nationals in many years. Also this past fall, the MSVU Mystics women’s cross country team placed second at the ACAA championships. We’re super proud!
9. Moral injury public events at MSVU
This conference got people talking about a very important topic: moral injury for frontline workers. Hosted by researchers from MSVU and Mount Allison University, and supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, this conference featured two days of free events that explored burnout and occupational mental health injury faced by frontline workers in human services during a time of increased polarization and hostility.
8. Our rockstar faculty, staff and alum
Several stories about the faculty, staff and alumni of MSVU ranked among our most read this year, and rightly so – our people are the best! These were tops:
- “She’s our most valuable researcher in 2025.”: Dr. Jamie Metsala – receives researchED Canada Award of Excellence
- Dr. Susan Brigham receives Lifetime Achievement Award
- Welcoming new faculty 2025-2026
- Announcing MSVU’s new AVP UR
- A Legacy of Learning: Mother and Daughter Find Strength and Purpose at MSVU
7. Recognizing excellence: MSVU’s 2025 student award winners
As the 2024-2025 academic year wrapped up in April, we were thrilled to celebrate our exceptional students. Our 2025 student academic award winners all achieved excellence in their respective fields of study, exemplifying the talent and hard work that define the MSVU community. A big congratulations again to all of the recipients!
6. Celebrating our spring and fall valedictorians
During spring convocation ceremonies, MSVU celebrated valedictorians Lily Brigham-Gale, Simranpreet Kaur, and Rajean Willis, all of whom have a passion for advocacy, apparent from the positive impact that they have had on the MSVU community and beyond.
And in the fall, we celebrated Katie Bates and Joel Murphy. Both Katie and Joel demonstrate deep commitment to education which they balance with community involvement.
5. MSVU Child Study Centre Project Moves Forward with Construction Ramp-Up
This year, we started construction on our new expanded Child Study Centre that will both provide the best care to preschool aged children and be a nationally leading centre for teaching and research in early childhood education. The new centre is estimated to be completed before the end of 2026.
4. Vincent’s teaching restaurant open to all this February/March
Vincent’s Restaurant is a teaching kitchen and restaurant on campus where students in the university’s Tourism and Hospitality Management program gain experience running a restaurant. The 2025 menu was a hit. Stay tuned for the 2026 menu and dates of operations. There are dine-in and take-out options, and the restaurant is open to the public.
3. From teaching assistant to trailblazer: Dr. Martin Morrison’s MSVU story
We only published this story a week or so ago, and already it has garnered more likes, comments, and shares than almost any other story of 2025.
Three-time MSVU graduate Dr. Martin Morrison made history this year as the first Indigenous African Nova Scotian to earn a PhD at MSVU and the first Indigenous African Nova Scotian man to graduate from the Inter-University Doctoral Program, a collaborative initiative between MSVU, Acadia University and St. Francis Xavier University. His story is definitely worth a read if you haven’t already. Congratulations, Martin!
2. MSVU launched new 14-month Bachelor of Education option in May 2025
The 14-month BEd delivery option saves on time by offering students an earlier entry point (May rather than September) and by running continuously, while keeping the same course and practicum requirements as the existing 20-month program delivery. The 20-month BEd option also continues in order to meet the needs of students who have work or family commitments in the summer semester.
1. New Doctor of Psychology Program (in development) and youth-focused mental health clinic
In April, the Government of Nova Scotia announced $7.9 million in funding for a new Doctor of Psychology program at MSVU including an associated youth mental health clinic and four new residency positions. Work is well underway to develop the program (pending approval by Senate and MPHEC) with the first class of students expected to begin in 2026. The program will include three years of coursework and supervised practice, plus a fourth year of fill-time residency.
Honourable mentions
New honorary alumni welcomed to the MSVU family this year
The reactions to the announcements that Dr. Stephanie Scott and Dr. Ann Divine would receive honorary degrees from MSVU in 2025 reinforced that MSVU’s Senate had chosen two very deserving recipients for the award.
New exhibit at the MSVU Art Gallery celebrates underrecognized African Nova Scotian painter
In celebration of the artistic legacy of underrecognized African Nova Scotian painter Edith MacDonald-Brown, the MSVU Art Gallery presented an exhibit curated by David Woods featuring nine of thirteen known oil paintings produced by the artist between 1898 and 1913. David has dedicated years to uncovering MacDonald-Brown’s work while collaborating with her descendants and the MSVU Art Gallery to preserve her art. This was the first solo exhibition of Edith’s paintings.