Dr. Isabelle Mills, professor of Music, looks over a sheet of music with a student in her office.

Bio/Historical Note: Dr. Isabelle Margaret Mills was born on 3 September 1923 on the farm at Fleming, Saskatchewan. On her second birthday she was stricken with a severe case of paralytic polio leaving her with the typical polio mobility disability. This gave her an understanding of people with disabilities. Dr. Mills held the ARCT (Toronto); BA (Manitoba); and MA, Professional Diploma, and EdD degrees from Columbia University, New York, where she was the recipient of the Frank Ross Chambers Fellowship. Dr. Mills was a member of the music and education faculties at Brandon College, (now University) before returning to her native province for her appointment as professor of Music with the University of Saskatchewan. While serving as assistant dean of Student Affairs (1979-1984) in the College of Arts and Science, Dr. Mills pioneered the work on campus for students with disabilities. When she completed her term as assistant dean the university created a permanent full-time position and a new department to continue and build on her work. Dr. Mills was named Professor Emeritus upon retirement in 1991. An exponent of the value of Canadian music, Dr. Mills published articles on various aspects of the subject in the Encyclopedia of Music in Canada and the Canadian Encyclopedia. She used her research on the topic for the basis of her doctoral dissertation titled “Canadian Music: A Listening Program for Intermediate Grades With Teaching Guide”. There are also articles published in many journals. She traveled widely in Canada, Britain and Ukraine, sharing her knowledge of Canada’s music. Among many honours were the University Retirees Association Prime of Life Award; the naming of the Brandon University School of Music ensemble, the Isabelle Mills Ensemble; the 2012 Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal; the Knox United Church 2017 Stewardship award, the Brandon University 2017 Member of The Order of The Sheaf, the 2018 Kids of Note, and the Notations Honorary Patron Award. Dr. Mills died on 10 August 2021 in Saskatoon at age 98. The Dr. Isabelle Mills Bursary is awarded annually to students with mobility disabilities who are pursuing studies in any direct-entry undergraduate degree program in any college at the U of S and who have graduated from a Saskatchewan high school.