Dr Angela James will become Aurora College’s new president later this year, taking over from the retiring Dr Glenda Vardy Dell.
The college announced James’ appointment in a press release on Wednesday, after advertising the coming vacancy to internal GNWT applicants late last year.
James “will lead the college into the next phase of transformation into a polytechnic university,” the college stated. The polytechnic university envisaged by the NWT government is due to launch in 2025.
Her five-year term formally begins on August 1 this year.
The college described James as a “proud Indigenous woman and educator” who had served as the president’s special advisor since September last year, leading the development of a selection process for a proposed Indigenous Knowledge Holders Council.
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Prior to that, James – who is Manitoba Métis and married into a Dëne Súłine family, according to a college-provided biography – was known for her work in the field of language revitalization. She currently lives in Yellowknife.
“As president of Aurora College, she plans to focus on celebrating and sharing the many good news stories elevating Aurora College towards transformation to a polytechnic university, as well as building relationships with internal and community stakeholders, ensuring collaborative external relations, and grounding decisions in research and data that understand the political, economic, social and cultural landscape of the NWT,” the college stated.
James said she was “thrilled to have the opportunity to take on the challenge of leading Aurora College during this important period of growth and change.”
“I see my appointment, as an Indigenous woman, as an act of reconciliation and look forward to using my experience and education to continue to create meaningful education opportunities in the North, for the North, and with northerners,” she was quoted as saying.
