Dr. Sonja Knutson knows what she wants for a retirement gift.
After 25 years of dedicating her career to internationalization at Memorial, Dr. Knutson, who is known for giving tremendously of herself to help countless students and colleagues from all over the world, is using retirement as an opportunity to continue giving.
“You can’t help everyone, but we can help where we can as an educational institution,” she said.
Global network
In the international academic community, a lot of value is placed on academic freedom.
Scholars at Risk (SaR) was established at the University of Chicago in 1999 with a mission of defending scholars around the world. Today, it comprises a global network of over 600 member universities along with unions, associations and other organizations.
They provide opportunities for scholars who are facing censure, persecution and outright personal danger for their pursuit of truth and justice and work together to provide academic appointments for these scholars at institutions in safe countries.
“When scholars are silenced due to political or social unrest, we all lose valuable insights and innovations.”
Memorial University has been a member of SaR since 2017, primarily under the leadership of Dr. Knutson, who recently retired from her role as director of the Internationalization Office but remains an adjunct professor in the Faculty of Education.
The process of creating an opportunity for a scholar in need of support is complex, requiring navigation of everything from Canada’s immigration law through the university’s human resource processes, to the actual logistics of transit, arrival and settlement.
There’s also a considerable cost to make it all happen.
As Dr. Knutson explains, Memorial recognizes the need to create pathways for both students and academics who have been affected by conflict, persecution, forced displacement and other personal risks.
Since 2020, several international undergraduate students who had been living in refugee camps around the world have been supported to attend Memorial.
Similarly, a Graduate Students at Risk bursary was created to support graduate students coming from challenging circumstances.
“One way that we can help is to provide employment to help scholars at risk . . . and to provide education to refugees.”
However, it’s proven more challenging to assist professors. Comparatively, the cost of supporting an academic is much higher than the cost for a student.
“The cost is around $35,000 per annum for students, to pay their tuition and to cover all their costs,” explains Dr. Knutson. “But for an inbound faculty member, it’s around $100,000 or maybe a little bit more.”
‘A lifeline’
With the cost and complexity of supporting an academic through the SaR program, it has taken seven years to successfully bring an academic to safety at Memorial University.
However, in April of this year, Memorial provided a one-year contract to a scholar, whose name and identity will remain anonymous for their protection and for the safety of their family, so that they can apply for permanent residency.
The opportunity is like being a visiting scholar and provides a chance to gain a foothold and start a new life.
“Being a participant in the SaR program has been a truly meaningful experience for me,” says the scholar. “Personally, this program has provided me with the opportunity to continue my work in a safe and supportive environment, which is something that I deeply value, especially in times of uncertainty. For me, this program is offering a lifeline, enabling me to pursue my research and academic career without the constant fear of persecution.
“Programs like Scholars at Risk are crucial because they help preserve academic freedom and allow important voices to continue contributing to global knowledge,” the scholar continued. “When scholars are silenced due to political or social unrest, we all lose valuable insights and innovations. This program not only protects individuals but also strengthens the global academic community by ensuring that ideas and research are not stifled by oppression.”
Save a life
With Dr. Knutson’s retirement arriving shortly after Memorial welcomed its first scholar at risk, the prospect of seeing the program expand depends on finding the money needed to continue sponsoring scholars.
“One way that we can help is to provide employment to help scholars at risk and to provide education to refugees,” Dr. Knutson said. “Those things are both really important to me.”
As for her retirement gift, Dr. Knutson hopes that people will consider giving to Memorial University’s Scholars at Risk Fund. It’s a gift that could save a life.
Donations to the Scholars at Risk fund can be made here.
Please note that 100 per cent of your donation will go to support the Scholars at Risk fund.
