Laurier appoints vice-provost: Teaching and Learning

June 9, 2020
For Immediate Release

Waterloo – Mary Wilson, an innovative leader, educational developer and award-winning instructor and researcher has been appointed vice-provost: teaching and learning at Wilfrid Laurier University for a five-year term, effective August 17, 2020.

Wilson has held a number of progressive leadership roles in teaching and learning throughout her career and joins Laurier after serving as director of the Centre for Academic Excellence at Niagara College for the past seven years. In this role, she oversaw programs and services supporting faculty and curriculum development, teaching with technology, inclusive education, academic quality assurance, and pathways and articulations.

“I am very pleased to welcome Dr. Wilson to the Laurier community,” said Maureen Mancuso, interim provost and vice-president: academic. “Mary’s active scholarship in teaching and learning, high-impact practices and the theory and practice of instructional design and curriculum development in higher education will contribute significantly to her work in this role.”  

As vice-provost: teaching and learning, Wilson supports the university’s pursuit of excellence in teaching and learning and will promote the integration of research-based teaching pedagogy, student learning, student success and student development best practices. The vice-provost role provides leadership on institutional priorities and serves as acting provost and vice-president: academic when required.

Prior to Niagara College, Wilson was director for the Centre of Innovation in Art and Design Education at OCAD University where she worked with colleagues across the university to define and implement an eLearning strategy, among other broad teaching and learning responsibilities. Wilson also served in many capacities at the University of Guelph from 1995 – 2010 in Teaching Support Services, the Canadian Centre for Supplemental Instruction and the Supported Learning Groups program in Guelph’s Learning Commons.

“Mary’s accomplishments in student success and student development initiatives, as well as her efforts to achieve student learning outcomes, align with Laurier’s focus on developing the whole student,” said David McMurray, vice-president: Student Affairs and chair of the selection committee. “Her experience implementing diversity, equity, sustainability and ethics into curricular and co-curricular learning will also contribute to our ongoing initiatives in these important areas.”  

Wilson’s research focuses on the study of higher education and the intersections of system, institution, curriculum, faculty and student development efforts that function to enable and disable change. She has also taught extensively in non-credit faculty development programming as well as sessional instruction at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto and in the Faculty of Education at Brock University.

“I am delighted to join the Laurier community,” said Wilson. “Laurier is a distinctive university with a well-earned reputation for outstanding programs, innovative teaching and research, and its commitment to holistic student development. I am eager to join the ongoing conversations about teaching and learning at Laurier and to pursue evidence-based ways to co-create the kinds of inclusive and transformational opportunities that make Laurier a wonderful place to teach, learn and work.”

Wilson serves on the Ontario College Quality Assurance Service Board and is the co-chair of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Ontario. Previously, she was co-chair of the Council of Ontario Educational Developers.

Wilson has received many awards; most notably, in 2010, the University of Guelph created the Mary Wilson Award for Excellence in Support Learning Groups awarded annually to a student leader.

Wilson holds a Doctorate of Education (Theory and Policy Studies) from the Ontario Institute for the Study of Education of the University of Toronto and a Master of Arts (English literature) and Bachelor of Arts (English literature and psychology) from the University of Guelph.

On August 17, Wilson will succeed Kristiina Montero, who has served as interim associate vice-president: teaching and learning since July 2019. After a sabbatical, Montero will return as a professor in the Faculty of Education.

“We are grateful to Kristiina for her contributions to teaching and learning at Laurier, and for her deep commitment to the university,” said Mancuso. “I am especially thankful for her leadership, guidance and faculty support as we have made the transition to online and virtual teaching and learning over the past few months.”

“Kristiina’s leadership in the transition period has been invaluable,” said McMurray. “I am grateful for her commitment to the teaching and learning and student affairs leadership teams.”