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NSCAD University welcomes Dr. Peggy Shannon; new university president commences term today

Dr. Peggy Shannon officially starts her new role as university president today, July 4, 2022. NSCAD University announced Dr. Shannon’s appointment in December 2021 following an extensive search.

“I am thrilled to officially join the NSCAD community and am grateful for the warm welcome I have experienced thus far,” said Dr. Shannon. “I am looking forward to working with students, staff and faculty to establish a culture of meaningful engagement and to build sustainable creative futures.”

For more than 20 years, Dr. Shannon has been a professor and administrator at several North American universities, including the University of California at Davis, Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) and most recently San Diego State University, where she served as Dean of the College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts. She brings to her new role at NSCAD a strong belief in preparing students for the creative economy with real-world opportunities.

Dr. Shannon has a proven record of building strong partnerships and collaborations within institutions and their broader communities. Throughout her distinguished career, she has provided exceptional leadership in strategic planning, curricular and teaching excellence, and multinational and interdisciplinary research within the visual and performing arts, humanities and social sciences.

NSCAD will soon be saying goodbye to Dr. Sarah McKinnon who has served as the interim president since July 2020. Dr. McKinnon adeptly guided NSCAD through one of the most challenging periods in its history as it successfully navigated through a global pandemic, pivoting to online learning and carrying out complex return to campus preparation and planning.