Thompson Rivers University announces appointment of new President
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June 2, 2008
Dr. Kathleen Scherf
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“The stage is set, and come September the curtain will rise on a new era in the history of Thompson Rivers University.”
With those words, the Chair of the TRU Board of Governors, Ron Olynyk, today announced the appointment of Dr. Kathleen Scherf as the institution’s fifth president.
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Dr. Scherf, who is currently the Dean of the Faculty of Communication and Culture at the University of Calgary, will officially assume her new role as President on September 1st.
A highly accomplished educator and administrator, Scherf completed her Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Toronto in 1982, and her MA and PhD degrees at the University of British Columbia before joining the Department of English at UBC as a lecturer in 1988. The following year she crossed the country to spend the next decade at the University of New Brunswick, where she was appointed Associate Dean of Arts and full Professor of English in 1995-1996. She joined the University of Calgary as Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Communication and Culture in 1999, and was reappointed for a second term as Dean in 2004.
Her extensive teaching portfolio includes more than two dozen different courses in English, Theatre and Communications, including most recently the largest first year class in her Faculty at the University of Calgary, where as Dean she believed it was important to remain connected to students and the classroom. This commitment to the student experience – one of TRU’s pillars – is one of the reasons the Board chose Dr. Scherf to lead the university.
As a senior administrator she has served on a wide range of Boards, Committees and Councils at a national level, including her current appointments on three different Editorial Boards, and on the Board of the Women’s Television Network Foundation and the Van Horne Institute.
As one of the most senior Deans at the University of Calgary, Dr. Scherf has served as Chair of Deans’ Council and as the Deans’ representative on the University Budget Committee and the University Planning Committee, as well as taking a number of other significant, pan-institutional leadership roles.
Internationally, she is the co-ordinator of a group of academics from eleven different institutions in six provinces working collaboratively to address obstacles to doing academic business in India. Just last month, Dr. Scherf was one of only eight Canadian delegates invited to the 5th annual Canada-India Policy Dialogue in New Delhi, India.
“I am honoured to accept the position as President of TRU,” said Dr. Scherf, who was introduced to the TRU community this morning.
“The evolution of the institution is impressive, its comprehensiveness, its financial management, and its beautiful campus is second to none. My interest in engaging students, community, and faculty and staff resonates perfectly with TRU. Kamloops is a fantastic, friendly city and I am very comfortable in the region, so I am very much looking forward to September.”
Dr. Scherf is the author of seven books and an impressive list of journal publications, reviews and lecture presentations to national and international organizations. Earlier this year she was the recipient of an Asia Pacific Foundation Policy Research Grant.
In 2004, she was honoured with the Calgary “Woman of Vision” award for her leadership and energy in successfully transforming and building the academic and research work of an interdisciplinary Faculty at the University of Calgary, and for connecting its work to the community.
“Our selection committee put in many hours and I would like to thank them for their commitment to this process. We have an incredibly qualified, and capable new President, and we are all extremely excited to see her take this institution to the next level,” said Ron Olynyk, Chair of the TRU Board of Governors.