| Celebrating our 50th anniversary for the UVic School of Public Administration |
|
We acknowledge and respect the Lək̓ʷəŋən (Songhees and Esquimalt) Peoples on whose territory the university stands, and the Lək̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ Peoples whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day.
|
Artwork credit: Lou-ann Neel, SPA Alumna '95 |
|
Dear SPA alumni, friends and community,
The School of Public Administration (SPA) is marking a milestone year – our 50th anniversary! Over the past five decades, SPA has built an extraordinary legacy in shaping public policy, administration and community development. As we reflect on our history, we are excited about the transformational work that lies ahead.
From impactful research to community-engaged scholarship, SPA leads from a values-driven commitment to addressing the critical challenges in society. The integration of interdisciplinary perspectives remains a source of pride for our school, as our programs continually evolve based on the needs of the public, non-profit, and private sectors while centering excellence, equity, and leadership in everything we do.
We’re eager to share a small sampling of recent achievements of our vibrant SPA community. Whether it's the research that drives societal change or the teaching that shapes the next generation of leaders, our faculty and students are making a significant impact. Their dedication is not just to advancing academic knowledge but contributing to positive transformations around the world.
To help us celebrate this milestone, we warmly invite you to join us in person for the SPA 50th Anniversary celebration on November 14, 2024, at the Victoria International Marina. Space is limited, so please register in advance by November 12th!
We look forward to celebrating with you on November 14th!
Warm regards,
Jill Anne Chouinard, Director
Susanne Thiessen, Associate Director
UVic School of Public Administration
We’ll also be hosting a series of thought-provoking webinars to celebrate the 50th anniversary – stay tuned for more details!
|
| Join us on LinkedIn |
|
We’re very active on our LinkedIn page, and we’d love for you to engage with us! We are sharing our student achievements, research updates, faculty accomplishments, events, alumni success stories and more. We may even share job postings and career advice every once in awhile (it is LinkedIn, after all!)
|
|
| Fresh Faculty Faces |
|
We’ve welcomed new perspectives into our interdisciplinary fold, hiring eight new faculty members in five years! We are also proud to count three UVic chairs in our expert ranks: Rob Lapper - Lam Chair in Law and Public Policy, Emmanuel Brunet-Jailly - Jean-Monnet Chair in European Union Policy and Governance and Heather Castleden – Impact Chair in Governance for Planetary Health.
|
| Our Faculty members |
|
| Associate Director receives REACH Award |
|
Susanne received the Nəc̓əmaat kʷəns čeʔi ʔay̓ šqʷeləqʷən Award for Decolonization and Anti-Indigenous Racism. Her teaching, rooted in her Haida/Gitxsan/Euro-Canadian heritage, emphasizes interconnectedness. She uses the Haida saying “Gina waadluxan gud kwaagid” — “Everything depends on everything else,” to guide her work.
|
| READ MORE ABOUT SUSANNE AND OTHER RECIPIENTS |
|
 Katya Rhodes
|
| Collaborative Climate Action Leadership |
|
UVic is ranked 2nd in Canada and 5th globally for climate action. Many of our faculty contribute to research initiatives in this area, and we are proud to be a part of the "first of its kind" Coastal Climate Solutions Leaders (CCSL) graduate program, which includes SPA faculty Tamara Krawchenko and Katya Rhodes among its core faculty team.
|
| READ MORE |
|
| Actioning our values |
|
In 2018, we articulated the school’s underpinning values to guide our work: Integrity, Inclusivity, Sustainability, Engaged and Courageous Scholarship. Most recently, our values have informed an equity-based admission process, revision of criteria for mid-program awards, and the creation of Priority Admissions Scholarships for the MA in Community Development program, to specifically attract more diverse students.
|
| Learn more |
|
|
| Indigenous Planetary Health Podcast |
|
SPA Professor Heather Castleden and co-host IGOV Professor Hōkūlani Aikau have launched a new podcast series called Indigenous Planetary Health, which explores how Indigenous Peoples around the world have understood the interconnectivity between human health, the health of the planet, and more.
|
| Read more |
 Bart Cunningham |
| Legacy Q&A with Bart Cunningham |
|
This year we are also celebrating Bart Cunningham, who retires from our School at the end of the year after 50 years! Bart joined SPA in 1974, the year the school was established and his contributions can’t be overestimated.
|
| READ THE Q&A |
|
|
SPA 50th Anniversary Celebration
|
We invite you to join us in celebrating 50 years of the UVic School of Public Administration. Come together for an evening of reconnection, networking and inspiration as we honour our past and look forward to the future.
|
|
|
SPA 50th Anniversary Webinar Series
|
Follow us on Linkedin to get the latest on upcoming webinars as part of our exciting SPA 50th Anniversary Webinar Series! Featured topics will include: Supporting Indigenous Self-determination, Climate Policy and Public Misinformation, Local Governance Conversations, and more!
|
|
|
Take the 2024 SPA Alumni Survey!
|
We need your input to help us plan the future of our school and our programs. Please take a few minutes of your time to answer some questions about your experience…prizes available!
|
|
|
| Stay connected to the School of Public Administration |
|
| If you wish to make a gift in support of the School of Public Administration, please contact hsddev@uvic.ca |
You are receiving this message as a member of the University of Victoria Alumni Association.
Contact us at alumni@uvic.ca |
|
|