Red Deer College has officially installed its 11th President Dr. Peter Nunoda who was welcomed warmly by dignitaries, and RDC’s students and faculty on Monday, November 12th.

“It feels absolutely wonderful. It certainly confirms everything that I believed that I accepted when the position was so kindly offered. We’ve got a bright future so I couldn’t be more excited and today is sort of the official ‘let’s go!’,” said Nunoda.

The College welcomed the President with indigenous drumming from the Shining Eagle Drum Group and the singing of the national anthem from Kiya Bruno. In April, RDC signed the Colleges and Institute Canada Indigenous Education Protocol to commit to more inclusive learning for indigenous people. Nunoda plans to continue on with the College’s initiative to create a healthy alliance, relationship, and learning opportunities for the indigenous people and moving forward plans to honour that protocol.

Dr. Nunoda was also presented a woodblock print by Japanese artist, Kunisada from the College’s permanent art collection by the Students’ Association. It was given to him to honour and recognize Nunoda’s Japanese-Canadian heritage. The print will be installed by Nunoda’s office during his term. During his speech, the President spoke about his family’s perseverance during their early days in Canada and how that has translated through various stages of his life and will translate into his new position.

The President took an Oath of Office led by Honourable Lois E. Mitchell, CM, AOE, LLD, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta and was presented with a Presidential Stole to be worn for formal events.

Heading forward, Nunoda hopes to improve the options available to students. Depending on the government’s approval, degree programs such as a Bachelor of Education, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Business Administration could be available as soon as September of 2021. Of course, Nunoda will be a key player in assisting the College in its transformation into a University in 2020.

“Dr. Nunoda is the result of a nation-wide search for a new president. So, what we really needed at this time was a president that could really make that dream of a university status become a reality. So, the previous president from the previous board got it to that stage and now we are looking to Peter to get us all the way across the finish line,” said Guy Pelletier, Chair of RDC’s Board of Governors.

In addition to wider course options, Nunoda hopes to improve the economic and environmental sustainability of the school.

“I really think that creativity and creating agility within the organization is the most important factor of success. We have to be sustainable; I understand that. So, how do we generate external revenue to be sustainable and those are going to be the challenges that we will be taking on over the next two or three years I would say,” added Nunoda.

Although it seems Nunoda will be very busy in the coming years as RDC shifts into RDU the new President appears to be ready and willing to take on the journey ahead of him.