Alan Shepard (academic)

Alan Shepard (born c. 1962)[1] is a Canadian academic and the current and 11th president and vice-chancellor of Western University in London, Ontario, effective July 2019. He previously served as the president and vice-chancellor of Concordia University in Montreal.

Alan Shepard
11th President of the University of Western Ontario
Assumed office
1 July 2019
ChancellorLinda Hasenfratz
Preceded byAmit Chakma
4th President of the Concordia University
In office
1 August 2012 – 30 June 2019
ChancellorL. Jacques Ménard
Jonathan Wener
Preceded byJudith Woodsworth
Frederick Lowy (interim)
Succeeded byGraham Carr
Personal details
Bornc.1962 (age 60–61)
Iowa, United States
CitizenshipCanadian, American
Domestic partnerStephen Powell
Children2
Alma materSt. Olaf College (BA)
University of Virginia (PhD)
OccupationUniversity academic and administrator
Academic background
ThesisMarlowe's anatomy of desire (1990)
Academic work
DisciplineEnglish literature
Sub-disciplineEarly Modern English literature
Institutions

Early life and education

Shepard was born in Iowa, and is a dual citizen of both Canada and the United States.[2] He has a background in Early Modern English literature. He received an BA in English literature from St. Olaf College in 1983[3] and received a PhD in English from the University of Virginia in 1990.[2][4]

Career

Shepard served as the chair of the English department at Texas Christian University from 1998 to 2002.[2] He moved to Canada in 2002, where he began working as a visiting research fellow at the University of Toronto.[2]

Shepard was hired as an associate vice-president academic at University of Guelph in 2005.[2] In 2007, Shepard became the provost and vice-president academic at Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University), where he worked until 2012.[2] At Ryerson, Shepard led the development of a business incubator called the Digital Media Zone.[5]

In August 2012, Shepard became the president and vice-chancellor of Concordia University in Montreal.[6][7] His two predecessors, Judith Woodsworth and Claude Lajeunesse, were both removed midway through their terms due to scandals.[8][9]

In November 2018, Shepard announced he would be leaving Concordia on 30 June 2019 to become the president and vice-chancellor of Western University in London, Ontario.[7][8] In July 2019, Shepard replaced Amit Chakma to become the 11th president of Western.[5][10] In December 2022 he was reappointed to a second term as President.[11]

Shepard has served on the board of directors at Universities Canada, Stratford Festival, and the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal.[12] He is currently chair of the Canadian Research Knowledge Network.[4]

Personal life

Shepard has two children with his husband Stephen Powell, an associate professor at Concordia University.[13]

On 31 December 2021 Shepard took a leave of absence from the Presidency of Western after an unexpected heart attack.[14] After consultation with the Board of Governors, President Shepard entrusted his authority to Dr. Sarah Prichard, the university's provost and vice-president academic, for a period of at least 30 days.[15][16]

References
  1. "Queer Concordia hosts Dr. Alan Shepard". The Concordian. 21 January 2014. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  2. "Alan Shepard named as Western University's next president - London | Globalnews.ca". globalnews.ca. 29 November 2018. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  3. "Alan C. Shepard '83: Alumni Achievement Award Recipient". St. Olaf College.
  4. University, Department of Communications and Public Affairs, Western. "Introducing Western's 11th President & Vice-Chancellor". president.uwo.ca. Retrieved 13 April 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. "Western names Alan Shepard as new president". CBC News. 29 November 2018.
  6. "Alan Shepard named Concordia president and vice-chancellor". Concordia University. 4 May 2012.
  7. "Concordia President Alan Shepard leaving Concordia for Western". The Concordian. 15 January 2019. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  8. "Concordia President Alan Shepard leaving for top job at Western". CBC News. 29 November 2018.
  9. "Concordia University president to leave in 2019 | CTV News Montreal". montreal.ctvnews.ca. 30 November 2018. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  10. Tayler, Emily. "Chakma honoured for global efforts at farewell luncheon". The Gazette. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  11. "Western News - President Alan Shepard appointed to second term". Western News. 5 December 2022. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  12. University, Department of Communications and Public Affairs, Western (29 November 2018). "Western names Dr. Alan Shepard as 11th President and Vice-Chancellor". Media Relations. Retrieved 13 April 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. "Stephen Powell". Retrieved 9 July 2019.
  14. "Western University head taking sudden leave after heart concern". CTV News. 31 December 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  15. "Western University head taking sudden leave after heart concern". CTV News. 31 December 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  16. "Western University president Alan Shepard takes health leave". lfpress. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
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