
The remarkable life and career of Professor Anna Pao Sohmen (MSW ’69) will be celebrated on March 4, 2025, when McGill University awards her a Doctor of Laws, honoris causa in a special ceremony in Ningbo City, China.
“McGill University is pleased to recognize Professor Anna Pao Sohmen’s outstanding contributions to education, the arts, and the advancement of social equity through the conferral of an honorary doctorate, the University’s highest distinction,” said Deep Saini, President and Vice-Chancellor of McGill. “An eminent McGill alumna, her life and work exemplify the transformative power of education and service to society and are an inspiration to all members of our community.”
President Saini will be on hand for the ceremony, along with Anja Geitmann, Vice-President (Global Engagement); Marc Weinstein, Vice-President (University Advancement) and Vivek Venkatesh, Dean of the Faculty of Education.
Boosting access to education, social equity
Pao Sohmen is a successful businessperson, philanthropist and educator whose contributions have had a lasting impact on education, the arts and communities in Hong Kong and beyond.
Her lifelong commitment to improving access to education and promoting social issues has shaped her distinguished career. She is widely recognized for her work in founding educational institutions, supporting the arts and leading philanthropic initiatives that support underprivileged youth and communities.
As a teen, Pao Sohmen spent many hours as a volunteer working with troubled girls. This early exposure to social, economic and educational inequities proved to be a catalyst for her lifelong passion for child psychology.
In the mid-1960s, Pao Sohmen left Hong Kong to further her education. After completing a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts at Purdue University in 1966, Pao Sohmen pursued graduate studies at the University of Chicago. It was there that she met her future husband, Helmut Sohmen. Together, they moved to Montreal, where she earned a Master of Social Work from McGill in 1969. Subsequently, she taught child psychology and social work at Hong Kong University.
YK Pao School
In 2007, Pao Sohmen and her son Philip Sohmen founded the YK Pao School in Shanghai in memory of her father, Sir Yue-Kong Pao, founder of Hong Kong’s World-Wide Shipping Group.
One of China’s top international schools, with more than 1,600 students across three campuses, it offers a unique Chinese-English bilingual program with an international approach to the Chinese National Curriculum.
In addition to her work in education, Pao Sohmen has dedicated herself to promoting the arts and sharing Chinese culture globally. As the Council Chairman of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts for a decade, she championed both Eastern and Western art forms. She played a key role in enhancing the academy’s schools of film, television, technical arts and Chinese opera, while helping establish both bachelor and master degree programs.
‘A deep commitment to public service’
Pao Sohmen has held numerous prestigious positions in both the education and arts sectors. She has served as Chairman of World Wide Education Group, Founding Governor of the Chinese International School, Honorary President of Ningbo University, Advisory Professor at Shanghai Jiaotong University and Tongji University, a former trustee of the Royal Opera House in the United Kingdom and Chairman of the Sino-British Fellowship.
She has been deeply involved in various philanthropic endeavours, including the Sir Yue-Kong Pao Fellowships at McGill, which she established in 2002 to support graduate students, particularly those from China.
Throughout her career, Pao Sohmen has made significant contributions to the economic development of Hong Kong, Shanghai, Heilongjiang, Zhejiang and Ningbo, and is today recognized throughout China as a visionary supporter of education and the arts.
“Anna Pao Sohmen’s professional accomplishments and record of community leadership exemplify a deep commitment to public service, lifelong learning and community engagement,” said Marc Weinstein, Vice-President (University Advancement). “As a philanthropist, she has been a longtime supporter of McGill and a champion of access to education. We are very proud to count Professor Pao Sohmen amongst our distinguished graduates and welcome her as McGill’s latest honorary degree recipient.”