Ottawa, June 25, 2024 – Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) proudly announces that Ron J. McKerlie, the 8th President of Mohawk College, has been awarded the CICan 2024 Distinguished Service Award.
Each year, the CICan Distinguished Service Award recognizes a college and institute leader who demonstrates outstanding and exemplary leadership at the institutional level, with stakeholders, the community, and other postsecondary education leaders.
Since assuming leadership in August 2014, Ron McKerlie has guided Mohawk College through transformative changes that have significantly influenced both the institution and the broader postsecondary education sector. His unwavering commitment to sustainability and combating climate change has been a defining aspect of his tenure. McKerlie’s dedication is evident through milestones such as the inauguration of The Joyce Centre for Partnership & Innovation in 2018 — Canada’s foremost Zero Carbon Institutional Building — the implementation of a comprehensive Climate Action Plan and the establishment of the School of Climate Action in November 2023.
President McKerlie’s commitment to truth and reconciliation is another hallmark of his leadership, demonstrated through initiatives such as signing the CICan Indigenous Education Protocol and increasing Indigenous awareness and presence on campus. Under his guidance, Mohawk College has also played a pivotal role in founding Canadian Colleges for a Resilient Recovery, consistently ranking among Canada’s top 10 research colleges and earning international recognition from the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics. The inauguration of the Centre for Integrated and Advanced Medical Imaging further exemplifies Ron’s leadership and Mohawk’s commitment to cutting-edge research.
“Ron McKerlie’s dedication to excellence, sustainability, and equity, diversity and inclusion is truly inspiring,” says Pari Johnston, CICan’s President and CEO. “His exceptional leadership has propelled Mohawk College to achieve outstanding success, positively impacting its community and Canada’s entire postsecondary education landscape. Congratulations, Ron, on this well-deserved recognition!”
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About Colleges and Institutes Canada
CICan is the national and international voice of Canada’s largest post-secondary education network. It advocates, builds capacity, and drives knowledge to strengthen Canada’s publicly supported colleges, institutes, CEGEPs, and polytechnics. With more than 95% of Canadians living within 50 km of a member institution, and thanks to its extensive reach around the globe, CICan works to future-proof communities in Canada and abroad.
We respectfully acknowledge that CICan’s offices in Ottawa are located on the traditional and unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe Nation.
For more information:
Katrina King
Senior Digital Communications Officer
Colleges and Institutes Canada
Email: kking@collegesinstitutes.ca
Twitter: @CollegeCan