As my train pulled away from Salzburg’s station, I found myself thinking about another kind of journey—one that began nearly a decade ago when I first made the decision to come to Kamloops. It wasn’t just the mountains or the rivers that drew me; it was the leadership I encountered in Dean Airini and Dr. Jeanette Robertson. Here were two women who didn’t just talk about accessibility and innovation—they lived it, breathed it, and made it real for educators and students alike.
I remember those early conversations with Dean Airini about my on/off the ground cohort teaching approach. While others might have seen unconventional methods, she saw possibility. She understood that education shouldn’t be confined to traditional boundaries, that learning could happen anywhere when the right support and vision were in place. Dr. Robertson’s commitment to accessibility and her deep care for social work educators created an environment where bold ideas could take root.
When they both left their roles, I felt the shift immediately. That special combination of caring leadership, supportive vision, and genuine engagement—it’s rare, and its absence is deeply felt by those who experienced its warmth.
So you can imagine my joy when I learned that Dean Airini would return as TRU’s fifth president and vice-chancellor. As I sat in that conference room in Salzburg, presenting my work while wishing I could be in Kamloops for her installation ceremony, I felt a familiar flutter of hope—the same feeling I had back in 2016 when we first discussed what truly accessible education could look like.
Through the online broadcast, I watched as more than 200 people gathered at the Brown Family House of Learning to witness this historic moment. Seeing the Māori haka performed by students from New Zealand, hearing Tk’emlúps Kúkpi7 Rosanne Casimir speak about the deeper significance of having an Indigenous woman in this role, witnessing the emotion and pride in every face—I felt connected across those thousands of miles.
What strikes me most about President Airini is her ability to see beyond what is to what could be. Those conversations we had in 2016 about transforming TRU from an accessible university to a truly accessible one—where students from any corner of Canada could join on/off cohorts, where technology could bridge distances and create genuine learning communities—suddenly feel possible again.
I think about her vision of TRU as a place where “Sécwepemc ways of knowing and being are recognized as foundational,” where applied education meets global reach, where no student’s potential is limited by geography or circumstance. This isn’t just administrative rhetoric; this is the same woman who co-created the Knowledge Makers Program, who championed Indigenous language revitalization, who saw possibility in unconventional teaching methods.
As I recorded my congratulatory message while boarding that train—sharing knowledge in motion, Airini style—I couldn’t help but smile at the symmetry. Here I was, teaching and learning while traveling, embodying the very flexibility and innovation that President Airini has always championed.
The technology exists. The vision is clear. And now, perhaps most importantly, the leadership is in place. President Airini’s five-year term beginning July 1st represents more than a transition—it’s a renewal of hope for what higher education can become when led by someone who understands that true accessibility means meeting students where they are, not where we think they should be.
Maybe by 2026, those dreams we shared will have taken root and bloomed. Maybe students will log in from remote communities across Canada to join cohorts that blend on-ground and online learning seamlessly. Maybe, when the Government of Canada allows, we’ll see truly global social work education emanating from Kamloops classrooms, reaching students around the world who never thought a Canadian university was possible for them.
From Salzburg to Kamloops, from one educator to another, from one dreamer to a leader who makes dreams reality: Welcome back, President Airini. The university you’re inheriting is already stronger because of your past contributions. The university you’re building will be transformed because of your vision for the future.
Here’s to the journey ahead—strong, brave, and caring, just as you said. Here’s to the students whose lives will be changed because accessibility became not just a word, but a lived reality. And here’s to the hope that sometimes, the best leaders are the ones who return home, carrying with them all they’ve learned, ready to plant new seeds in familiar soil.
Congratulations, President Airini. We’ve got each other, and together, we’ll figure it out.
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