By Jackie Hong
Former Member of Parliament and mayoral candidate Olivia Chow has been appointed a distinguished visiting professor at Ryerson University’s Faculty of Arts.
The Office of the Provost and Vice-President Academic appoints distinguished visiting professors. Chow’s appointment is for a three-year term.
“I am excited about joining a city-building university like Ryerson,” Chow said in a press release. “The opportunity to work with creative, dedicated, urban-oriented young people on the important challenges facing our next generation, our city and our society, is both humbling and thrilling.”
Chow also confirmed the appointment on Twitter Sunday evening.
Proud to join @RyersonU as a Distinguished Visiting Professor, focusing on engagement and democratic participation. pic.twitter.com/DVVrq7PXAp
— Olivia Chow (@oliviachow) February 23, 2015
Chow’s roles as distinguished visiting professor will include starting a program on community engagement and democratic participation and working with the Faculty of Arts’ Jack Layton Chair.
“We are thrilled to welcome Olivia Chow to the Faculty that Jack Layton called home for so many years. Olivia brings impressive expertise and dynamism to youth leadership development that will inspire students to dream big and change the world. She is a passionate change-maker,” said Jean-Paul Boudreau, the dean for Ryerson’s Faculty of Arts, in a press release.
“Ryerson is honoured to welcome Olivia Chow to our academic community,” said Mohamed Lachemi, provost and vice president academic, in a press release. “Olivia is well respected for her ability to forge alliances, build consensus and connect with community – all of which will benefit the students and faculty at Ryerson.”
Chow, who was born in Hong Kong and moved to Toronto when she was 13, started her political career in 1985 when she was elected onto the Toronto Board of Education. She married former NDP leader Jack Layton in 1988 and then became the first Asian-born woman elected as a Metro Toronto Councilor in 1991. Chow was elected to Parliament in 2006 and was re-elected twice. She also ran in Toronto’s 2014 mayoral election.
Distinguished visiting professors at Ryerson are usually people with extensive experience in their fields and offer advise to faculty and staff, give lectures, bring in industry experts and participate in workshops, among other things.
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