Today, Michael Silvaggi will start his first full week as the 7th President of St. Clair College, marking a significant milestone in the College's 57th year of operation in Ontario.
This week is set to be particularly busy for a first-time President, as it coincides with the start of the graduation season for nearly 4,500 St. Clair College graduates. The Windsor campus convocation ceremonies will take place at the WFCU Centre on Tuesday and Wednesday, with sessions scheduled for 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. each day. Additional convocation ceremonies will be in Chatham and Toronto over the following two weeks.
President Silvaggi brings 23 years of experience in the post-secondary education sector, all of which have been spent at St. Clair College of Applied Arts and Technology. Starting as a Clerk in the Accounts Payable Department in November 2000, he swiftly progressed through various roles, demonstrating his exceptional leadership and management skills. Over the years, he has held pivotal positions within the College, including Associate Registrar and Associate Vice President, Student Services and College Registrar.
His most recent roles as Vice President, Academic and College Registrar have allowed him to contribute significantly to strategic planning within and on provincial committees. With 20 years of management and supervisory experience at the College, President Silvaggi is well-prepared for his new role.
"The combination of my education (Degree in Business Administration and Master in Adult Education) and the many roles of supervisory responsibility that I've held at the college mean that I'm fully prepared to direct all aspects of the institutional operation, both maintaining its academic excellence and its corporate and financial stability," Silvaggi said.
In addition to his professional accomplishments, he serves as a Board of Governor at Assumption University. He is an active Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board Parent Involvement Committee member. He is also the past St. Gabriel Catholic Elementary School Parent Advisory Committee Chair. Through these roles, he has provided valuable insights into post-secondary education opportunities and fostered collaborations to benefit families.
"St. Clair is within three years of celebrating its 60th anniversary of providing the communities of southwestern Ontario with the highest standard of postsecondary education and the skills training that is essential to the well-being of the local economy," he added. "And we're now welcoming the world in the form of international students, so we're a contributor to the global economy too. My job is to lead St. Clair's exceptional group of faculty and staff into -- and beyond -- that sixth decade of educational service, ensuring that the college continues to be immediately responsive to employment trends here, in Ontario and Canada, and throughout the world."