Fleming College

The Fleming College Alumnus of Distinction Award is given to an alumnus who has achieved great career success and has maintained a connection with the college. This year Fleming College is thrilled to announce that the award will be presented to Phil White as part of the college’s convocation program.

A graduate of the Art Conservation Techniques program, class of 1988, Phil is the fifth Official Dominion Sculptor since the creation of the position in 1936. This highly competitive and prestigious position is responsible for creating all of the internal and external stone, wood carving and sculpture on Parliament Hill as well as the care and conservation of all federally commissioned sculptures. One of only three Canadian Artist positions within the federal government, he is Canada’s official sculptor.

Much of Phil’s time is spent carving in the Centre Block. Rebuilt in 1916 after a fire, the architect left thousands of uncarved blocks to be completed by his successors, a tradition in medieval style architecture. He has also worked on a series of stone portrait sculptures of key figures in Canada’s railway history including of course, Sir Sandford Fleming. His most prestigious project to date is a stone portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, which was unveiled in the House of Commons when she visited Canada in June 2010.

He has also completed two busts of Sir Sandford Fleming for Fleming College in an effort to bring students closer to the college’s namesake and inspire the students through Fleming’s passion. He was motivated by photographs of a young Sandford Fleming who was passionate about engineering and surveying. The sculptures are located at the Sutherland and Frost campuses, with the plaster casting on display at the Haliburton campus.

The Alumni of Distinction Award will be presented to Phil by Fleming College President Tony Tilly during the School of Law, Justice and Community Services convocation ceremony at the Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre on Tuesday, June 7 at 10 a.m.

Located in the heart of Central Ontario, Fleming College has campus locations in Peterborough, Lindsay, Cobourg and Haliburton. Named for famous Canadian inventor and engineer Sir Sandford Fleming, the college features more than 90 full-time programs in Business and Technology, Continuing Education and Skilled Trades, Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, Visual Arts, Education, Health and Wellness, and Law, Justice and Community Services. Fleming College has more than 6,000 full-time and 10,000 part-time students, and 58,000 alumni.

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For more information:
Laura Copeland, Communications Officer, 705-749-5530 x 1370 or copeland@flemingc.on.ca