Recognizing a Lifetime of Achievement
Posted on Tuesday, November 17th, 2015
He was Algonquin College President for 16 years, part of a lengthy 45 year career in education.
Through his leadership, the College staked a claim as the ‘digital college’, a leadership position it still holds today within the Ontario college system.
He lead a large infrastructure campaign – some say if you draw a line halfway down the Ottawa campus you’ll find there was very little on the other side before Bob Gillett was President (not to mention the new campuses in Perth and Pembroke). To thank him for the new facilities, and his leadership, the Algonquin Students’ Association named one of those new buildings – the Robert C. Gillett Student Commons – after him.
“President Gillett was focused on the Customer Experience and to him the Number One Customer was the Students,” said David Corson, a past Students’ Association President. “He also believed that Algonquin should be a leader in the Digital Experience so that other colleges would follow. He wanted us to be a trailblazer so that we were the superior choice in Ontario and in Ottawa. These are the primary reasons that the Students’ Association at the time requested the Board of Governors to allow us to name the new Student Commons in his honour.”
He brought Algonquin out of deficit and into financial surplus, enhanced its reputation, diversified its educational offerings through degree programs and applied research, and widened its partnerships with the City of Ottawa, fellow Ottawa postsecondaries, and others.
Monday, Bob Gillett was recognized for all these achievements, and many more, through the Minister’s Lifetime Achievement Award. The award was presented at the annual College’s Ontario Higher Education Summit in Toronto. On hand to deliver the award: The Hon. Reza Moridi, Ontario’s Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities; Colleges Ontario President Linda Franklin; and Colleges Ontario Chair David Agnew.
The criteria for this annual award includes: (1) demonstrating exceptional leadership over a significant period of time; (2) exemplifying collegiality working with other colleges and local institutions, with the community, and with students, and through this collegiality advancing the social and economic development of Ontario; (3) displaying wisdom and depth of leadership that has made a significant difference locally and provincially; (4) promoting excellence within the college, within the college system and within postsecondary education in Ontario.
“Robert Gillett has made an indelible mark on our province’s college system,” said the Hon. Reza Moridi, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities. “It is an honour to present him with this award for his forward-thinking and leadership, which has helped to establish Algonquin College as a leader in the community, in the digital sphere and around the world. Through his hard work, he is truly making Ontario a better place to learn.”
“Bob is an innovator, and we are all beneficiaries today of his vision,” said Algonquin College President Cheryl Jensen. “His achievements are many: turning Algonquin’s finances around, cultivating a culture of pride and innovation, forging community partnerships which benefit us to this day, fostering internal communications, and so many others. I can think of no other candidate who so deserves this honour. Congratulations Bob for all your success!”
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