Wendy Freeman appointed executive director, Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Wendy Freeman as executive director, Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching. A highly respected academic leader, associate professor, and instructional designer, Wendy joined Ryerson in 1998 and brings a wealth of experience to this role. 

As interim director, Wendy played a pivotal role in the launch of the Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching this past year. Her belief that quality teaching is focused fundamentally on creating opportunities for every student to develop the skills and knowledge they need to be creative, critical, and caring individuals has been paramount in building the strategic vision and success of the centre thus far. 

Under Wendy’s direction, the centre’s dedicated team has shown an unwavering commitment to the Ryerson community and has continued its forward momentum despite the challenges posed by COVID-19. From leading a collaborative effort in developing the Continuity of Teaching and Learning guides to contributing to university committees that are shaping the future teaching and learning environment at Ryerson, Wendy leads with a devotion to teaching excellence and ever-evolving pedagogy. 

Wendy’s leadership and forward thinking also led to the launch of the Centre’s Blended Learning Lab, which assists faculty with the development of blended courses, and the integration of online and classroom learning to improve access and flexibility for both students and faculty. Also of note is the centre’s collaboration with multiple faculty teams and the Library, which won successful bids for $1.3 million in eCampusOntario funding for open educational resources and systems. 

Wendy is a professor in the School of Professional Communication, Faculty of Communication and Design at Ryerson, where her contribution to pedagogy, teaching excellence and e-learning has been recognized many times; she has been the recipient of numerous academic and professional awards, including the YSGS award for Outstanding Contribution to Graduate Education and the Dean’s Teaching Award. Prior to her most recent appointment, Wendy was the director of E-Learning at Ryerson, as well as an instructional designer with the Digital Media Projects Office. 

A graduate of York University’s Fine Arts undergraduate program in theatre, Wendy holds a master’s in instructional design, development and evaluation from Syracuse University and a doctorate in education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto. 

Please join me in congratulating Wendy on her appointment. I also want to express my sincere gratitude to the hiring committee, whose contributions led to this successful search. 

Kelly MacKay
Vice-Provost, Academic