Acadia University is awarding longtime CBC journalist and host Portia Clark with an honourary doctor of letters degree, recognizing her work that has “shaped civic conversation for decades.”

The Wolfville, N.S., university announced the honour Wednesday, describing the host of CBC Radio’s Information Morning Nova Scotia as one of the province’s “most respected and trusted voices.”

“Her journalism reflects the fundamental values of integrity, curiosity, and a relentless commitment to the public good,” Acadia said in a news release.

Clark’s education and career has taken her across the country. She holds a BA in philosophy from Dalhousie University, and studied broadcast journalism at the British Columbia Institute of Technology.

Her voice was first heard on the airwaves in 1998 in Halifax in various roles as a newsreader, reporter and producer. In 2000, she left Nova Scotia for a newsreader job at CBC Edmonton, before hosting TV and radio programs there.

Clark wouldn’t settle back in Nova Scotia until 2018, when she became the host of Information Morning. 

‘Lifelong dedication to learning’

Acadia University noted Clark’s nearly three decades of journalism has helped Nova Scotians better “understand themselves and their communities.”

Clark has demonstrated this in a myriad of ways in her storytelling, ranging from stories about culture, environment and climate change to stories detailing the lived experience of people with disabilities.

WATCH | Portia Clark speaks with residents of a historic Black community fighting to stay on the map:

The plan to keep a historic Black community in Nova Scotia on the map

Upper Big Tracadie was first settled by Black Loyalists in 1787. UBT, as it is known locally, was once a vibrant, thriving place with at least 200 residents. These days, only a handful of houses are occupied, with many sitting empty and abandoned. Not one child lives in the aging community. As Portia Clark discovered, there is work being done to revitalize it for future generations.

The university’s release said Clark “exemplifies community-minded leadership, thoughtful public discourse, and a lifelong dedication to learning.”

She is one of four people who will be awarded honourary degrees during a ceremony on May 14.

The other recipients include acclaimed Nova Scotia artist Holly Carr, former president and dean of the Acadia Divinity College Rev. Harry Gardner, and Mark Smith, whose lengthy softball career made him one of Nova Scotia’s all-time best athletes.

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