Loyalist College board of governors chair June Hagerman (left) introduced the college’s new president and chief executive officer, Ann Marie Vaughan, to the college community Monday at a meet-and- greet event in the Link Lounge. On Tuesday afternoon, Vaughan met with local members of the media. Photo courtesy of Loyalist College Facebook
By Brendan Burke [1]
BELLEVILLE – Loyalist College’s newly appointed president expressed excitement about her new role and underscored the importance of student success at a press conference Tuesday afternoon.
“I’m delighted and thrilled to be here,” Dr. Ann Marie Vaughan told reporters at the college’s Kente building at 1 p.m.
Vaughan, who served her first day as the college’s president and chief executive officer on Monday, was unanimously selected for the job by the college’s Board of Governors [2] on Oct. 18. Vaughan’s appointment fills the position of former president Maureen Piercy [3], who announced her retirement on Feb. 12.
Piercy held the college’s top position from 2005 to 2016.
June Hagerman (left), chair of the Loyalist College board of governors, new college president Ann Marie Vaughan (centre) and Dianne Spencer, who served as interim president, speak to reporters at Loyalist College’s Kente building Tuesday afternoon. Photo by Brendan Burke, QNet News
Vaughan said a number of factors drew her to accept the job – from the Quinte region itself to the programs Loyalist offers.
“Loyalist is well-known for the quality of its programs,” she said. “Many friends and colleagues across the country have said how lucky you are to be going to Loyalist College, because the quality of programs are exceptional.”
As well, “I’ve never in my career seen such a beautiful location and spot for a post-secondary institution.”
Her attraction to the area is not limited to its looks.
“The community pride in the college is evident, and you can see it as soon as you enter the community,” Vaughan said. “Loyalist’s footprint in the Bay of Quinte is profound, and it goes beyond geography.”
While the press conference marked her second day as president, Vaughan said she has already observed the college’s impact in the community.
“Everywhere I go I’m meeting alumni, and everyone speaks (with) pride about the Loyalist College experience,” she said.
That kind of experience is one she hopes to nurture as college president and CEO, she said.
“What I really like about colleges – and I’ve worked in both universities and colleges – is the focus on student experience and student success, the connection between the college and community, which is a big part of who I am.”
From 2011 to 2016, Vaughan served as president and CEO at the College of the North Atlantic [4] in Newfoundland – overseeing 17 campuses and 9,000 students while managing an annual budget that topped $140 million.
Newly appointed president and CEO of Loyalist College Dr. Ann Marie Vaughan emphasized student success through understanding and accessibility during a press conference Tuesday. Photo by Brendan Burke, QNet News
She was listed as one of Atlantic Canada’s top CEOs last year by Atlantic Business Magazine [5].
Vaughan told media that her educational experience – in both theory and practice – has prepared her for the new role.
Her new gig as Loyalist president is the latest in a long line of appointments within an educational career that spans the country. Vaughan served as the director for distance education and learning technologies at Memorial University in St. John’s, N.L. [6], from 2001 to 2011. She holds a master’s degree in arts in higher education from the University of British Colombia, as well as a master’s in project management from York University. She received a doctorate in higher education leadership from the University of Calgary in 2015.
While Vaughan said she hasn’t laid out any specific plans just yet, she remains committed to an enriched student experience – one that emphasizes aboriginal culture.
“It’s about respecting, understanding and embracing aboriginal culture in our institutions,” she said.
Vaughan hasn’t outlined specific strategies for Loyalist’s future, but there’s one thing she plans to do first as president:
“Learn and listen.”