Message from the Dean for LFS Community Connects: June 2024
This most recent convocation – Spring 2024 – was bittersweet as it was my final one as Dean of the Faculty of Land and Food Systems.
As you may be aware, starting October 1, 2024, I will be moving to the University of Alberta as the new Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences when my term as Dean with LFS comes to a close. It’s been a wonderful 10 years for me as Dean of this outstanding Faculty.
What has given me immense satisfaction and pride is seeing the trajectory of our students once they graduate from UBC. Our alumni become change makers in their fields – full of ideas and energy – working to improve the wellbeing of our communities through better health, new policy and research, and actions that build resiliency.
I’ve had the privilege of meeting many of you when you started at UBC – and for some students, this was during the pandemic. Many of you learned to overcome obstacles by finding a community of friends and supporters during an isolating time – building your own personal resiliency to manage issues.
I hope all of our alumni continue on a journey of continuous learning. This month is National Indigenous History Month in Canada – and it is a chance for us to learn about, celebrate and acknowledge the contributions of the many diverse cultures of Indigenous Peoples. If you want to learn and see the events that are taking place from coast to coast, here are some good resources to get you started:
- National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation https://nctr.ca/records/reports/
- Government of Canada https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1466616436543/1534874922512
I hope you enjoy reading this edition of LFS Community Connects, and I always welcome hearing from our alumni. Do feel free to drop me a line this summer as I would enjoy hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Rickey Yada
Dean and Professor
lfs.dean@ubc.ca