Former president and CEO of Northern Lights College in BC makes a cross-country journey to Humber
Laurie Rancourt has worked at three different colleges, and in both of Canada’s official languages – so making the move from northern British Columbia, where she was president and CEO of Northern Lights College, might not be as big a challenge as you might think.
Humber Today sat down with the college’s new senior vice-president, Academic, to get to know her a little better – and see what she thinks of Humber so far.
Now that you’re here, what are you most looking forward to?
I’m really looking forward to connecting with as many people as possible, and becoming part of the team. The collegiality and the way I’ve seen people work together has been quite amazing – I’m so impressed by the depth and breadth of things that are happening at Humber.
Do you have a sense of what your first steps will be?
I’m going to focus on academic planning – there’s already a solid foundation of plans and strategies in each school and division, so the first thing to do will be to work with everyone to highlight the things that are already there and already work. We’re going to see how we can weave all that together and develop an academic plan that builds on existing expertise, excellence and capacity, and helps home in on where we want to go in the future.
Where does Humber fit in to the larger postsecondary environment, locally and nationally?
Humber is a definite leader, and is doing some cutting-edge things. There’s a strong team here that’s helping to lead the way. Just looking at the unique programs, like the University of Guelph-Humber, the emphasis on applied research, and the activities going on in the Centre for Teaching and Learning tells me that the college is a leader nationally – not just in Ontario. We have a lot to offer to the rest of the postsecondary system.
Ever since I got this opportunity, the consistent reaction has been, “Oh, wow – Humber’s a great institution. You’re really lucky to be going there.” Humber has a reputation that is very well deserved.
What are some of your favourite things?
Family is very important to me, so I would say that my favourite things are my husband, my children, and my new five-month-old grandson. You always dread the day when someone says you’re old enough to be a grandmother, but it’s not making me feel old – it’s actually making me feel younger. I’m also an avid reader, and I love classic rock – Metallica, AC/DC, that kind of stuff. We also have two dogs, Ralph and Scruffy, who keep us busy.
Who inspires you?
My kids – watching their growth, and what I learn from them. The other person, who’s no longer with us, is my mother – she suffered from mental health issues and was a very strong fighter. As well, I’m inspired by my maternal grandmother, who was a war bride, and had some famous sayings that I still think about today: whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and things happen for a reason.
What would you like to say to our students?
What I would tell students is what I’ve tried to tell my kids: it’s OK if you don’t know right now what you want to do. If you work on discovering your strengths and your passions, then your path will become clear eventually. Access to postsecondary education is a great privilege, but it doesn’t have to be the same path for everyone. I’m a proud college grad myself – I tried university, didn’t like it, went to college, and then went back to university. I’m working on my doctorate now.
What are you looking forward to doing, now that you’re here?
I haven’t made it to the Lakeshore Campus yet! My goal in the next three months is to wander around, get lost a little, and connect with as many people as I can.
Laurie begins her time at Humber on November 1. Stay tuned for more information about her and about new academic initiatives.