Dr. Mary Anne Chambers re-elected chancellor of University of Guelph

TORONTO:

Jamaican-Canadian Dr. Mary Anne Chambers has been re-elected as chancellor of the University of Guelph. She was named the university’s 10th chancellor in 2022.

Dr. Rene Van Acker, interim president and vice-chancellor commended Dr. Chambers for having made a positive impact on the university and its students.

He said her leadership, advocacy and unwavering commitment to the university’s mission have elevated the role of chancellor and strengthened the university’s connections with students, faculty, staff, alumni and broader community.

“Her dedication to fostering excellence, championing equity and inclusion, and celebrating the achievements of others are invaluable and we’re thrilled to have her continue in the role,” said Van Acker.

Chambers, a former member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament (MPP), former minister of training, colleges and universities, and former minister of children and youth services, served on the University of Guelph Board of Governors from 2010 to 2016.

“My first three years as chancellor seem to have gone by quickly. I have been warmly received by the university community. It really does feel like I belong there. The University of Guelph is a very special place. Students tell me how much they like it there and parents tell me that their daughters and sons thrive there. The faculty and staff are truly dedicated to the success of their students,” said Chambers, who is a member of the Order of Ontario.

She migrated to Canada from Jamaica in 1976 with her husband, Chris, and their two sons. Chambers joined Scotiabank as a computer programmer and analyst immediately after her arrival and held a number of management-level positions before being appointed vice-president in 1988 and senior vice-president in 1998.

As chancellor, she will continue to preside at convocations, conferring all university degrees, providing strategic advice to the president and acting as ambassador.

The announcement notes that Chambers will further represent U of G’s interests in the broader community as its senior volunteer and serve as an ex-officio voting member of the University’s Senate and Board of Governors.

“Demonstrating a personal commitment to supporting students and advocating for equity-deserving communities on campus, Chambers has supported key institutional initiatives including the Graduate Mentorship Programme, the College of Social and Applied Human Sciences (CSAHS), student and faculty awards, the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics’ Economics and Finance Chair’s recognition of high-achieving scholars and the Black Faculty and Staff Network,” noted the university.

It said she prioritises celebrating those whose achievements elevate the university, encouraging students to strive for greatness.

By representing U of G and its vision at public engagements such as the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and the Arrell Food Summit, Chambers has further strengthened the university’s reputation as a global leader in education, research and academic excellence, said the university.

Her long career of advocating for education and community includes personally funding more than 70 scholarships and bursaries for Ontario university and college students, including a scholarship for Black students in CSAHS.

She was the president of the Project for Advancement of Childhood Education, PACE (Canada), a volunteer-run charity that supports basic schools and early childhood institutions for children three to six years old, primarily in Jamaica.

Dr. Chambers has been awarded the Degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa by the University of Toronto, York University, Lakehead University and the University of Guelph. She is also a recipient of the Golden Jubilee and Diamond Jubilee Medals of Queen Elizabeth the Second, the Prime Minister of Jamaica’s Medal of Appreciation, a University of the West Indies Vice-Chancellor’s Award, and a YWCA Toronto Woman of Distinction Award, among other awards.

Dr. Chambers is the second person of Jamaican heritage to serve as chancellor at the University of Guelph. Lincoln Alexander, who was born in Toronto to a Jamaican mother and father from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, became the sixth chancellor and served from 1991 to 2007.

Currently, there are three Jamaicans serving as chancellors of universities in Ontario: Chambers at the University of Guelph, Donette Chin-Loy Chang as the sixth chancellor at Toronto Metropolitan University, and Wesley J. Hall, at the University of Toronto as the 35th chancellor.

Michael Lee-Chin was the eighth chancellor of Wilfrid Laurier University from 2011 to 2016, and the late G. Raymond Chang was the third chancellor of then Ryerson University, now Toronto Metropolitan University, from 2006 to 2012.