York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton sends the following message to the community:
Rhonda Lenton
Happy New Year! I hope the winter break was both restful and rejuvenating, and that you had time to reflect on the past year and to look ahead to the opportunities that await us in 2018.
As I look back on the accomplishments of our community this past year, and read about the Best of 2017 at York, I am grateful to be a part of a community of students, staff, faculty and alumni that is deeply committed to making an impact on the wellbeing of society through improving access, increasing our connectedness both locally and globally, and striving for excellence in all that we do.
As part of our commitment to increasing access and connectedness, we celebrated the opening of two new subway stations on our Keele Campus in December, with Prime Minister Trudeau, Premier Wynne, Mayor Tory and many other government and community partners visiting the new York University Station on December 15th. These new stations will continue to enhance our connections throughout the GTA, facilitating access, experiential education and research partnerships.
Another highlight of the past year was York’s hosting of the Toronto 2017 North American Indigenous Games in July at our new Lions Stadium, as well as the Invictus Games in September, where we welcomed to campus His Royal Highness Prince Harry as well as Canada’s new Governor General Julie Payette, and announced the new York University Service Award.
I can also point to innumerable examples of the initiatives and accomplishments that demonstrate our community’s academic excellence and research impact, such as the six professors who were recognized by the Royal Society of Canada, the five CFI research awards, the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship recipients, or the many athletic victories that strengthen our lion pride, including the Lions field hockey team winning the Ontario University Athletics championship for the first time since 1996.
The launch of York’s Indigenous Framework, the release of our new Sustainability Strategy, the appointment of Professor Carl James as expert advisor on equity in education to the Ontario government, and alumna Megan Leslie’s appointment as the first female president of World Wildlife Fund Canada are just a few of the ways our community is continuing to make a meaningful impact on the world. You can learn more about York’s local and global impact through my monthly Kudos Report.
We have a great deal to be proud of as a community, and the coming year holds promise of even more opportunities to amplify our access, community connections, and the quality and impact of all that we do—from the ongoing development of the new Markham Centre Campus to the opening of the state-of-the-art Schulich Research & Graduate Study Building and the New Student Centre.
I wish you the very best of health and happiness in 2018, and I look forward to all we will accomplish together as a community this year.