After nine years as vice-president of academics, Joy Warkentin has announced her retirement from the position.

“She's brought some substantial changes to the way we do our business,” said Howard Rundle, Fanshawe's president. “Not the least of which is an emphasis on applied research and institutional partnerships where she created an entire small department.”

But for Warkentin, despite her obvious attachment to the college, it was becoming obvious that she wanted to spend more time with her family.

“My husband lives in Thunder Bay and I live here, and we've done that commute for nine-years,” explained Warkentin about her decision. “It was a tough decision for me to make, but there comes a time in your life when your family has to come first, and this was my time to realize that.

“So this was really a decision that was more about the family than my job, because I love my job and I'm very happy and it's a great place to work. I've just loved every minute here.”

During her term here Warkentin said she's watched the school grow by leaps and bounds, not only in the number of students, but the schools overall size, which she believes has added to the campuses personality.

“And we've experienced enormous growth - when I started here we had 8,000 people and now we have 15,000,” Warkentin explained. “The diversity here has been enormous and I have really enjoyed that, the diversity in programs, everything from design to health, the programs make an energetic group of people.

“I'm going to miss the people- the students and the staff, the people that I work with, I'll miss them a lot.”

From the school's point of view though, finding a replacement for Warkentin isn't going to be easy because she brought a lot more than just experience and skill to her job.

“We'll miss her strong leadership is the biggest thing,” Rundle said. “She's someone who can be strong, but at the same time really compassionate based on particular situations- whether it's a student or employee or whatever - her nursing side comes out.

“You don't often see that in a person.”

In light of Warkentin's retirement the college has started to look for a replacement vice president of academic and has hired Jim Lundy of Janet Wright & Associates Inc. to help with the search.