Honorary Degree Recipient’s Journey Spans Law, Agriculture and Philanthropy
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Honorary Degree Recipient’s Journey Spans Law, Agriculture and Philanthropy
Edward Morwick at the opening of the Morwick G360 Groundwater Research Institute
When Edward “Ted” Y. Morwick first walked the University of Guelph campus in 1968, he could not have imagined the journey ahead. Fifty-six years later, he returns as a celebrated leader and philanthropist. This fall, U of G is proud to confer upon Morwick an honorary Doctor of Laws in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to agriculture, law, education, and society.
“Ted Morwick personifies the values we hope to inspire in every University of Guelph student: intellectual curiosity, leadership, compassion, and service to others,” says Dr. Rene Van Acker, president and vice-chancellor.
“His achievements across law, agriculture, business, literature, and philanthropy have left a lasting mark on countless lives. We are honoured to recognize his remarkable legacy with an honorary degree, and we are proud to welcome him into the University of Guelph alumni family.”
Deeply interested in the world around him, Morwick earned extraordinary success in every one of his passions. From a young age while farming and learning about breeding cattle, Morwick was also developing his love of writing and launched a weekly newspaper that he delivered to his neighbors.
A Legacy of Achievement
Like many self-made people, Morwick was disciplined and persistent. He was also fortunate to find several people of integrity and decency who took him under their wings. Perhaps they were good judges of his character – or perhaps Morwick was a good judge of theirs – but the young boy from a Jerseyville, Ont. dairy and breeding farm credits his mother and other influential people in his life for creating a strong, busy and joyous upbringing.
Learning from his mentors, Morwick embraced his agricultural roots – a heritage that dates to 1882 – and throughout his childhood and high school years, he steadily built his own cattle herd. His breeding program thrived so that he was able to pay for his education by selling a red and white Holstein that ranked No. 1 for its genetics to Switzerland, where it went on to become the favoured Holstein in that country. Morwick also founded Jerseyville Semen Sales, which became the largest privately-owned semen provider in North America and helped advance Canadian agricultural genetics onto the world’s stage.
From Farm to University to Law
After graduating high school in 1968, Morwick enrolled in U of G’s College of Arts to prepare for a degree in journalism. He was touring the campus when he crossed paths with William C. Winegard, the U of G president and vice-chancellor at the time. Morwick asked the president if a kid from a farm in Jerseyville could make it at university. The president enquired about his grades and when Morwick responded, Winegard took a moment to collect himself from the young man’s shockingly good marks before replying, “You’ll do just fine.”
Morwick’s law career leveraged his agricultural background. Once again, Morwick’s sense of purpose had produced the excellence that would become his trademark. In his second year, he gained early admission to Osgoode Hall Law School and became one of only four law students in the class without a bachelor’s degree. He subsequently rose to the second highest ranking in a class of 306 peers.
Morwick was called to the bar and opened a private practice in Toronto, specializing in agricultural law. His dedication to the field led him to become a renowned expert and speaker, and he has contributed significantly to the development of Canadian agricultural law.