Lethbridge College at 60: Past, Present and Future Challenges and Opportunities (Part 1)

Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

A number of factors contributed to the creation of Canada’s first public community college here in Lethbridge. A growing population, the prosperity of post-war southern Alberta with the size and wealth of the City, and the lack of post-secondary educational opportunities in the southern part of the province all factored into the formation of Lethbridge Junior College as it opened in 1957 with 38 students enrolled for classes in space leased at Lethbridge Collegiate Institute high school. When the first classes got underway, the College Board began searching for a permanent campus site and in the end settled on 80 acres of land south of the City with the first buildings ready in 1962. Unique in many ways, the College campus offered and housed both university and non-university courses in the same place in those early years. When the University of Lethbridge was established in 1967, it was initially housed at the College, but moved to their newly built west Lethbridge campus in 1972. Lethbridge Junior College changed its name to Lethbridge Community College in 1969 and to Lethbridge College in 2007 following its steady growth in both educational facilities, students and instructors. Numerous programs have been added over the years and students now number 6500 plus. Much have changed since its humble beginning and the speaker will explain the many factors at play before decisions on adding programs are made. She will also speculate on what the future may hold for Lethbridge College in our fast changing world of high tech, automation and robots. Speaker: Dr. Paula Burns Dr. Paula Burns, the 8th president and CEO of Lethbridge College, is a collaborative leader who invests her commitment, passion and energy to advance education and to support and create a safe and respectful learning environment for all students and staff. Dr. Burns is a life-long learner and appreciates the many opportunities she has to interact with students at the college. Before coming to Lethbridge College in February 2013, Dr. Burns had served as NAIT’s Provost and Vice President Academic. She started on her educational path as a college student at Fanshawe College in London, Ont., and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Waterloo in 1996. Later, she attended Central Michigan University, where she earned a Master of Arts in Education in 1999 and the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education/University of Toronto, where she earned her PhD in 2005. She earned her MBA with a specialization in leadership at Royal Roads University in 2010. Moderator: TBA Date: Thursday, May 25, 2017 Time: Noon - 1:30 PM (30 minutes each for presentation, lunch and Q & A) Location: Country Kitchen Catering (Lower level of The Keg) 1715 Mayor Magrath Dr. S Cost: $12.00 (includes lunch) or $2.00 (includes coffee/tea