Fleming College: New president is inspired by possibilities
Maureen Adamson is the first alumnus to take the helm
I am Maureen Adamson, and I am proud and honoured to serve our communities as the new president of Fleming College.
As a proud Fleming alumnus, and after spending most of my career in Toronto, I am thrilled to return to my hometown of Peterborough. As the former Deputy Minister of Tourism, Sport and Culture, and the Deputy Minister, Status of Women, I saw the tremendous power and potential of collaboration between government, communities and stakeholders across the province.
I am excited to begin working with our students and our communities to take Fleming to the next level of excellence. This venerable institution representing Peterborough, Lindsay, Haliburton and Cobourg has a long history of societal contributions that shape our community value systems. Our students deepen the social and cultural fabric of our communities and Ontario. My goal is to ensure that Fleming becomes an even greater source of skilled talent and quality resources.
Our annual economic contribution to the region is now almost one half billion dollars and growing. As a key economic driver, Fleming brings more than 6,000 students to Peterborough, Lindsay, Haliburton and Cobourg from all over the world, strengthening our global network and international connections. We have over 530 full-time and 700 part-time employees who are an important part of the fabric of our community through their expertise, leadership, philanthropy and volunteerism. From local to national to global connections, our students and more than 74,000 alumni give back to our communities by sharing their work, their learnings, mentorship and life experiences.
The services that Fleming offers the community range from physical assets to training and support. We have an amazing athletic centre and sports fields on the Sutherland Campus that is shared by students and the community. We also provide services to support our regional workforce in transitioning and re-skilling as we experience industry disruptions such as those that Canadian General Electric and Sears have been through recently. In turn, our students have also been the privileged recipients of many generous bursaries and donations that are a testament to the value that our community places on our students and our future.
I am eager to continue our partnerships with each of our local communities including a special emphasis on our First Nations communities. Perhaps most importantly, I want to hear from you with respect to your views and your ideas for how Fleming can support all of our communities and businesses.
As I have been actively listening for the last few weeks, I have been most impressed by the commitment and passion of all faculty, staff and leaders of Fleming. Fleming has remained incredibly stalwart and resilient through some recent disruptions, including significant construction projects to enhance our physical spaces. I have sat with faculty, students and leaders at all four campuses to hear their concerns and ideas for the future.
I recognize that we have a lot to do. I want to ensure that Fleming is an even more capable and engaging partner and an even more attractive destination for prospective students. I am inspired by the possibilities for Fleming and our community and I am humbled by the knowledge, skills and tenacity of all things Fleming.
Maureen Adamson is the sixth president of Fleming College. The appointment marks several firsts for the college. Maureen is the first Fleming alumni to lead the college, as well as the first female and the first person originally from Peterborough to hold the position.