Job shadowing a university president

Posted: April 25, 2019 8:50 a.m.

On the move! Chloe Golding and Amanda Parsons job shadow Dr. Vianne Timmons, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Regina, as she heads to a meeting in the AdHum building. Photos: External Relations

When Dr. Vianne Timmons, University of Regina President and Vice-Chancellor, discovered that many U of R students had no idea what a university president does on any given day, she issued a challenge: job shadow me for a day.

Chloe Golding and Amanda Parsons finish off another shadow meeting with a chat with Lisa Mitchell, Associate Vice-President (External Relations) and Dr. Timmons.

Chloe Golding, who will graduate with her BA in Sociology this spring, and Amanda Parsons, who is studying Arts and Human Justice through Campion College, rose to the challenge and spent the day with President Timmons attending a variety of staff and department meetings.

"I didn't know anyone who wanted to be a university president when they grew up and truly had no idea what a president actually does, so I found this opportunity quite enlightening," said Golding, as she joined Dr. Timmons at a lunch meeting.

Timmons didn't grow up with visions of being a university president, but the job is an important part of her life - especially now that she is in her third term.

"I love this job because of the people I get to work with every day, both on campus and in the larger community," she said. "That includes our students, who are our future leaders. It is always a pleasure meeting and speaking with them, and I hope Chloe and Amanda enjoyed getting a clearer sense of everything faculty and staff do to help advance their education here. I also hope this experience helps inspire them to explore the ways they can become leaders in their own lives."

Parsons felt she developed not only a sense of what Dr. Timmons does in a day, but also what other units tackle and how all of the work impacts the larger community.

"I have a much better understanding of how much the community benefits from the work of the University and how integral the community is to the life of the U of R," said Parsons. "It's really incredible; there are just so many and varied facets to Dr. Timmons' role and to the work of the University."