Fairweather bids farewell to St. Lawrence College
Don Fairweather, sitting in his office, overlooking the St. Lawrence River.
FRANCIS RACINE francis.racine@eap.on.ca
A native of Cornwall, the blue-eyed man boasts quite an impressive resume. He attended the Cornwall Collegiate and Vocational School (CCVS) before studying at McMaster’s University and Queen’s. “My education did serve me quite well,” he ad- mits, a smile in the corners of his mouth. Fairweather started his teaching career as a high-school teacher, before climbing the echelons and becoming a high-school vice-principal. Then, he became a prin- cipal before being named an executive
superintendent for the Upper Canada District School Board. He then became dean of the college, in October of 2007. “I had always worked in smaller schools, where the educative institution was the very hub of the community.” He then concedes that the very workings of the college are practically the same. “I started working at the college close to Thanksgiving day,” he says from his of- fice overlooking the beautiful St. Lawrence River. “But after 40 years of full-time work,
I’ve decided to retire. My wife and I want to travel more.” The man hopes to see Ireland, Italy, the AmericanWest Coast, all the while spending more time in Florida. Under his leadership, the once small col- lege has seen a rapid increase in studentship. “We’vemanaged to increase the attendance of students by about 25 per cent,” he says proudly. “But it wasn’t my own doing. We were able to achieve such a goal because of our great team. We have very dedicated
St. Lawrence College deanDon Fairweather is easily recognizable.That’s because the tall man prides himself in meeting face to face with students. In other words, Fairweather isn’t scared of donning on the occasional clown or prisoner outfit, in the hopes of raising awareness for an array of causes.The imposing man is set to retire in the coming weeks.
Le Journal, Cornwall
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Le mercredi 16 décembre 2015
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