Louise Mandell will follow in the footsteps of Shawn Atleo as chancellor at Vancouver Island University.
The university announced that Mandell, a notable aboriginal rights lawyer, will begin her three-year term immediately, but won't be officially sworn in until a university convocation ceremony in January. She will be VIU's second chancellor.
In her new volunteer role, Mandell will serve as an ambassador for the post-secondary educational institution and confer degrees and provide advice to the Ralph Nilson, university president and vice-chancellor.
She was appointed Queen's counsel in 1997 and received the Georges Goyer Q.C. Memorial Award in 2001 for contributions to the development of aboriginal and treaty rights law in Canada.
“It is such an honour and privilege to serve as second chancellor, and to walk in the footsteps of the first chancellor, Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo,” said Mandell in a press release.
“I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this great university, which has inspired enrolment of a large number of Indigenous students, and taken leadership in promoting peace and reconciliation through dialogue, scholarship and innovative partnerships,” she said.