Dr. Linda Rodenburg has been appointed the new Principal, Orillia Campus at Lakehead University. Her position took effect August 1, 2024.
"I would like to congratulate Dr. Linda Rodenburg on her appointment to this vital leadership position at Lakehead University," says Dr. Gillian Siddall, President and Vice-Chancellor. "I look forward to working closely with her as we lead the Orillia campus, Lakehead University as a whole, and the broader community on an exciting path forward over the next five to 10 years."
Under the guidance of the President, the Principal oversees the strategic direction and operation of the Orillia Campus. The role is responsible for championing the university's mission, engaging in community outreach, promoting university programs, and advancing local partnerships. In this role, Rodenburg will work closely with students, faculty and staff on campus, and collaborate with government, industry and other stakeholders to foster economic development initiatives in Orillia and across the region.
One of the founding faculty members of the Orillia campus, Rodenburg is highly regarded as a teacher, mentor, and leader. In 2018, she founded the Office of Community Engagement Lifelong Learning, with the mandate to offer non-traditional learning opportunities for all ages as well as professional development opportunities. As a lecturer in the Department of English, she taught courses in English and Interdisciplinary Studies, and her research has focused on Indigenous and Māori stories in relation to Canada and New Zealand. Her academic work has focused on how stories construct a sense of culture within a place.
"I have a long history with Lakehead in both Thunder Bay and Orillia, and I am very grateful for this opportunity to take this next step," Rodenburg says. "The Orillia Campus is experiencing an incredible moment of growth, and I look forward to working with the President and executive team to move the vision for this university forward within this community that I love and call home."
Rodenburg is passionate about building partnerships, both internally and externally, that advance Lakehead's strategic priorities, enable excellence in research, support inclusive communities, and create opportunities for learning and student success.
"We are an accessible institution that is embedded in the communities we serve through partnerships and relationships forged with business, industry, and municipal government. I look forward to leaning into those relationships as we expand our impact throughout the County of Simcoe."
Rodenburg earned her Honours Bachelor of Arts in English concurrently with her Bachelor of Education degree at Lakehead in 1999. She completed her Masters in English at the University of Guelph before traveling to New Zealand to complete her PhD at the University of Otago on a Commonwealth Scholarship. She returned to Canada and joined the team that opened Lakehead's Orillia campus in 2006.
