In March, Vancouver Island University's Board of Governors announced that Vancouver Island University's next President and Vice-Chancellor will be Dr. Deborah Saucier, who currently serving as President at Grant MacEwan University.
Saucier was welcomed into the VIU community at a luncheon held on March 11 in the Trades Discovery Centre at the Nanaimo Campus. Snuneymuwx Elder Gary Manson, with help of Indigenous VIU employees, performed a beautiful welcoming song to ensure Saucier can do her work in a good way.
VIU's current President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Ralph Nilson welcomed Saucier by speaking about the importance of renewing leadership roles, and expressing his confidence she is a great fit for the values and people at VIU. Nilson has known Saucier since the 1990s - they met during her time as a professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Regina. Nilson also led a standing ovation to honour Saucier's impressive career path and welcome her to the community.
Accompanied by her daughter and husband, Saucier shared some of her own passions and why she believes her work to date is a good fit. She cited the transformative nature of education, her work to open the doors of post-secondary to more people and her admiration for VIU's work in creating real partnerships with our Indigenous communities and the tuition-waiver program.
Saucier will begin her five-year term on July 4, 2019.
Watch the video below for a greeting Dr. Saucier sent with the announcement of her appointment.
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