Dr. Janet Morrison was formally installed as Sheridan’s eighth President and Vice Chancellor at a dynamic and inclusive ceremony held at the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga on Tuesday, October 16.
The inspiring event kicked off with a performance by the Grammy-nominated Bear Creek Singers, an Ojibwe drum group from Sault Ste. Marie. In attendance were Janet’s friends and family, employees and community members, a diverse group of international students from over 15 countries wearing stoles bearing the colours of their national flags, and representatives from sister institutions.
In her Installation Address, Janet emphasized the vital role that postsecondary education plays in shaping individuals and transforming lives, and pointed to her own experience as evidence: “I invested eleven years as a learner in postsecondary institutions in Canada and the United States and earned four degrees. The outcomes I value most, however, are incalculable: University gave me a voice; it taught me to think; and it compelled me to engage. It sounds simplistic, but the process of earning my academic credentials inspired who I am, not what I do.”
Click to read Janet’s full Installation Address.
Steve Boone, Chair of the Board of Governors and part of the Presidential Selection Committee, discussed some of the qualities that led to Janet’s appointment: “Her deep understanding of the sector and her undeniable passion for student success caught our attention, given the importance Sheridan places on fostering positive personal, social and economic outcomes,” he said. “Already, Janet is making a tangible difference, by better aligning our institutional initiatives to our key differentiators and priority areas of focus, and in her efforts to create a strategic planning culture that will lead to long-term operational sustainability at Sheridan.”
Hazel McCallion, Sheridan’s Chancellor, presided over the oath of office. The installation featured the debut of Sheridan’s ceremonial Mace, which is placed on stage to signal the beginning of the ceremony. The Mace used was a prototype designed by two students in the Honours Bachelor of Crafts and Design program. The students, Erik Irwin and Alan Ngo, will work with faculty mentors over the coming months to fully realize their creative vision for the Mace, which will be presented in its final form at Convocation in June 2019.
The audience was also treated to an inspirational and compelling performance by a choir of second-year students in the Honours Bachelor of Music Theatre program. The Installation ceremony preceded the first of four Sheridan Convocation ceremonies that took place at the Living Arts Centre last week, which saw over 1,000 students receive their degree, diploma or certificate.
