From the President's Desk: January 2026
From the President's Desk
Happy New Year!
There is excitement in the air as I anticipate our students’ achievements, and I feel proud of our Lakeland family each time we celebrate another accomplishment. My sincere appreciation goes to everyone who works to support our college and its people.
A sense of belonging and inclusion continues to be a key theme shared by our students. In every classroom I visit, students emphasize that Lakeland truly feels like a home away from home. They speak about belonging as they experience diversity within and across our institution. Many thanks to those who support and enhance our college environment—everyone matters at Lakeland!
It’s great to see the leadership team continuing to work on actions arising from the Guarding Minds survey. We currently have 4 groups focused on employee development, mentorship, rewards and recognition and succession planning. Thank you to everyone who contributed ideas and energy to support this important work. I would also like to thank the Belongingness team for their efforts, which directly support our Guarding Minds initiatives. Stay tuned for their upcoming rollout sessions!
During my class visits, students consistently highlight how important hands-on learning and real-world opportunities are to their love for Lakeland. They also emphasize how much they value their connections and interactions with faculty. I hear joy in their voices when they talk about how people at Lakeland take the time to know them by name, care about them and truly listen. My heartfelt appreciation goes to everyone who takes a moment in their busy days to acknowledge, listen to and care for our students and colleagues. Students often share that their experiences at other post-secondary institutions simply don’t feel like Lakeland.
Inside a combine, a crop technology student (left) demonstrates the machine’s features
on a screen to Alice (right).
I am always amazed when students share how they first learned about Lakeland. While a modern website and strong social media presence are important, it is the stories prospective students hear—from family members, friends, and neighbours—that truly inspire them to choose Lakeland.
As we begin 2026, our enrollment outlook is promising. At the same time, we remain mindful of the instability of the global geopolitical environment and will continue to exercise fiscal caution. We are making good progress on our infrastructure projects, with many currently underway. Our immediate focus is on completing capital projects already in progress before taking on anything new, unless there are pressing environmental or safety concerns. At this time, project timelines and budgets remain on track.
Provincial and federal priorities are always top of mind, as they influence the post-secondary system and help guide where Lakeland College needs to be aware, engaged and involved.
Thank you again for all that you do to support our students and Lakeland College.
Until next time,
Alice