York University is proud to have been chosen by many senior women academic administrators.
I have been honoured to serve as Provost & Vice-President Academic at York University since 2012, having come to this position via a fairly traditional progression through the administrative ranks at McMaster University and York – Associate Dean, Dean, Vice-Provost Academic and now Provost. Although the current environment is undoubtedly challenging for all of us serving in senior leadership positions in higher education, it is also energizing and enormously fulfilling to be able to make a difference in the life of the institution and the lives of its students, faculty and staff. We are privileged to contribute to the development of the next generation of scholars, artists, and engaged citizens.
In the current environment, it is increasingly important that we think creatively and collaboratively about the issues we face. Throughout my years in university administration I have appreciated the opportunity to come together with colleagues in SWAAC to share a story, an idea, and often a laugh! I look forward to doing so again this year and to welcoming new and returning women administrators to York.
Rhonda Lenton, PhD
Vice-President Academic & Provost
I started working in Student Services at the University of Guelph in 1991 and was privy to exceptional mentorship that influenced my decision to pursue a career in the field. Almost twenty-five years later, I am in my third year as the Vice-Provost, Students at York University. I am passionate about the transformational power of post-secondary education and leading at York affords me the opportunity to influence 55,000 students each year, many of whom are the first in their families to attend University.
Janet Morrison, PhD
Vice-Provost Students
I am the beneficiary of wonderful role models who consistently demonstrate and share the ways they engage with students, staff and faculty to make for a stronger university.
I am a firm believer that leadership matters in the post-secondary sector and the facilitation of informal and formal mechanisms to increase women's participation in university leadership is what SWAAC can provide. We continue to create these mechanisms at this year's SWAAC meeting and I look forward to sharing them with you.
Barbara Crow, PhD
Dean and Associate Vice-President Graduate
I am deeply grateful to all the generous mentors who have embraced and supported me over my 'unusual' academic career and allowed me to learn from their rich experiences.
My post-secondary education experience spans a 25 year period and two continents (Africa and North America). I have Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Psychology from Nigeria, Bachelor's and Master's in Social Work from York University and a PhD in Social Work from University of Toronto. That is a lot of time spent inside universities! I earned my first degree in Psychology as a 20 year old, went back to school immediately to pursue a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology and ended up spending about seven years (over three times the normal time) to complete this first Master’s. During this extended period, I got married, had children, started a business and worked part-time. When my family and I moved to Canada in 1995, I went back to school full-time in my early-thirties and without any break earned a Bachelor, Master’s and Doctorate in Social Work over a period of about seven years while also adjusting to life in a new country, raising kids, working and participating in the community. Many students are similar to me at different periods of my life. Some are young and are straight from high school. Some are coming into Social Work after other careers while some are juggling full-time studies while raising families, working long hours or even struggling to adjust to a new country.
My administrative experiences in Canadian academia have been quite diverse - from serving as a Graduate Program Director of our MSW and PhD programs to participating on several university based governance committees including the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies' Executive Committee, to administrating large funding grants for community engaged research projects that advance equity and access for diverse communities within local, national and international contexts.
Uzo Anucha, MSW, PhD
Associate Professor, School of Social Work
Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies
Provincial Academic Director, Youth Research and Evaluation eXchange
www.youthrex.com
@REXforYouth
Thank you to ODGERS BERNDTSON, a key sponsor and supporter of this year's SWAAC conference.
