Laurier appoints accomplished leader, coach and mentor as vice-president: student affairs

Aug. 13, 2020
For Immediate Release

Waterloo – Wilfrid Laurier University has appointed Ivan Joseph as vice-president: student affairs for a five-year term, effective October 1, 2020.

Joseph joins Laurier after serving as vice-provost, student affairs at Dalhousie University where he provided strategic leadership to staff across 10 units and multiple campuses. He spearheaded strategic policy and prioritization development, program development, expansion of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) supports, and community engagement related to the student experience.

“I am very pleased to welcome Dr. Joseph to Laurier,” said Deborah MacLatchy, Laurier’s president and vice-chancellor. “Ivan’s exceptional skills as a university leader, overseeing a broad portfolio of multi-faceted units and supports related to the student experience, will contribute significantly to Laurier’s strategic focus on fostering the development of the whole student. Ivan is an outstanding coach and mentor, and our sense of community and being No. 1 in student satisfaction for which Laurier is so well known will thrive under Ivan’s leadership.”

As vice-president: student affairs, Joseph will focus on multi-campus strategic initiatives that enhance student learning and student development, foster EDI, and integrate Laurier’s academic/curricular agenda with the co-curricular elements of student learning, development and engagement.

“I am honoured to be joining Wilfrid Laurier University and the Student Affairs team,” said Joseph. “I look forward to being a part of a team of dedicated professionals and colleagues across the university working towards creating exceptional experiences for the Golden Hawk community.”  

Prior to his time as vice-provost, student affairs at Dalhousie University, Joseph served for a decade as director of athletics at Ryerson University, where he facilitated improvements to the Mattamy Athletic Centre (former Maple Leaf Gardens) and led academic and co-curricular activities related to the centre. He also achieved record levels of student engagement, academic partnerships, student athlete and coaching achievements.

Joseph began his higher education career at Graceland University in Iowa, where he held various student affairs roles and was an assistant professor of health and physical education, which included developing experiential learning courses. His professional leadership in EDI includes mentorship and coaching, with special focus on students identifying as Black, and expanding services to support Indigenous and African Nova Scotian students.

His career includes launching new programs around student health and wellness, food security initiatives, sexual violence policy review and consent training, academic accommodations staffing models, initiating online counseling options, and developing a strategy to address the mental health needs of graduate students. He has created a grant program for clubs and student societies, acted as a faculty sponsor, and served as acting Ombudsperson to help students navigate policies and processes.

Joseph is an accomplished public speaker, coach and mentor. He has produced TEDx Talks with over 18 million views to date and was recognized by Forbes for one of the 10 best TED Talks for graduates about the meaning of life (2018). He is the recipient of many awards including the President’s Blue and Gold Leadership Award (Ryerson, 2014); Coach of the Year (2010, 2013) by Ontario University Athletics; African Canadian Achievement Award for Excellence in Sport (2014); and the Graceland Alumni Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award (2008). He has served in a variety of organizations, including on the Graceland University Board of Trustees, chair of the capital campaign of the Dalhousie United Way of Halifax campaign, as a member of the Coaching Association of Canada’s Gender-Based Violence Task Force, as a member of the Steering Committee of the Ryerson Faculty of Communication and Design, and in numerous other sport, coaching and community organizations.

Joseph holds a Bachelor of Arts in Physical Education and Health from Graceland University, a Master of Science in Higher Education Administration from Drake University and his PhD in Sport Psychology from Capella University.

Joseph succeeds David McMurray, who retired from the vice-president: student affairs role in June 2020 after a 23-year career at Laurier. Maureen Mancuso, Laurier’s former interim provost and vice-president: academic, has been serving as interim vice-president: student affairs since McMurray’s retirement.