President’s message

UP FRONT

David Agnew

“With all the extraordinary change that has taken place in the past 50 years, one constant remains: it’s all about the students.”

Fifty years ago, when the Ontario government launched the unique system of Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology, it was a time of excitement and optimism. Canada was celebrating its 100th birthday, and colleges became a new postsecondary option for Ontarians, primed to prepare students for careers in the “new” economy.

Five decades later, Seneca and our system colleagues have delivered on those expectations, and more. As Canada celebrates its 150th birthday, Ontario’s colleges rightly celebrate their role as major contributors to local, provincial, Canadian and now the international economy.

Throughout our 50 years of incredible growth, Seneca has been at the forefront of innovation. From ground-breaking relationships with school boards to offering the first degree at an Ontario college; from the pioneering Centre for Independent Learning to an Oscar®; from countless academic pathways to partnerships with institutions around the world, Seneca has rightly earned the label of leader.

We are particularly proud of the many accomplishments of our alumni in the community and the workplace. In this commemorative edition of RED, we catch up with some of our many outstanding graduates, who have helped build Seneca’s legacy. We also get some insights as to how current students are preparing themselves to excel in today’s competitive workforce.

With all the extraordinary change that has taken place in the past 50 years, one constant remains: it’s all about the students.

Our cover story discusses Seneca’s ongoing commitment to providing our students the best learning environment possible to build their competencies, embrace new technologies and find the right industry connections to enter fulfilling careers upon graduation.

As we celebrate our 50th year, our sights are firmly set on the future. In consultation with students, employers, community stakeholders and alumni, we recently developed a new strategic plan that focuses on providing students a great education that will equip them to make a positive difference in their professional and personal lives.

All of us who have followed in the footsteps of our founding president, Dr. William T. Newnham, have built on the foundations he set in 1967—a commitment to provide an educational opportunity to Seneca students that is “imaginative in concept, flexible in scope and vast in promise.” That is worth celebrating, as are the many ways our alumni have continued to build a better Ontario, and a better world.

Happy birthday, Seneca.

David Agnew
President

Editor’s note: On August 28, 2017, Seneca’s Board of Governors announced that David Agnew has been renewed for a third term, and he will continue to serve as Seneca’s president through to June 30, 2023.