Famously dubbed as “the man with the master plan,” Ryerson’s President Sheldon Levy is the driving force behind the university’s resurgence on both the Canadian and international scene.
A Toronto native, Levy attended high school at Downsview Public and Secondary, later staying local to complete a master’s degree in mathematics at York University.
After working as a vice president at the University of Ontario institute of Technology, York University, the University of Toronto and as president of Sheridan College in Oakville, Levy was appointed as Ryerson’s president in 2005 as the successor to Claude Lajeunesse.
Over the better part of the past decade Levy has put Ryerson on the map, quite literally.
In less than 10 years on the job, Levy has expanded Ryerson’s downtown presence by adding two new buildings (the Image Arts Centre and the Mattamy Athletics Centre) to Ryerson’s urban campus, while planning to add another two buildings (the Student Learning Centre and a new residence) within the next decade.
Aside from strengthening the university’s campus, Levy has also made it a priority to expand Ryerson’s global brand, with occasional trips abroad, including to India, to hype up the university’s research.
He never misses an opportunity to publicize the ongoing research at the school’s Digital Media Zone or the Centre for Urban Energy, and has formed a number of partnerships with other educational institutes around the world.
Outside of the office, Levy is extremely approachable, never shying away from a conversation with a concerned student or staff member, which furthers his mission of advancing the university not only as an academic institution but as a city-builder.
Oh yeah, he also rides a motorcycle and occasionally heads up to his cottage to man it up in the wilderness. Talk about being a badass.
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