A Passion for Education The new president’s wife, Suromitra Sanatani, has a passion for education. “My parents were professors, my aunts and uncles ... and of course my husband,” she says. “There’s a component of education, I think, that’s a real key to changing people’s lives.” Here are a few more facts about Sanatani. She holds a law degree from the University of Ottawa. She has also held vice-president roles at Partnerships BC and the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. “My career has always been about bringing together people of different backgrounds.” Before law, there was French. She is fluent in French (also German) and holds a BA in French literature from UVic. Victor Hugo, JeanPaul Sartre and Gabrielle Roy are among her favourites.
honoured with that award, I was extraordinarily proud to receive it because of the hard work that went into it. What that taught me was that it’s important to recognize your weaknesses, because if you know what they are then you can work on them.” à Before coming to the U of A, he was president of the University of Victoria. From 2010 to 2013. à He has been involved in more than 250 meetings about the U of A before even starting his term as president. “So many people we’ve met speak with fierce pride about the U of A and have shared with us their belief that this university — having already made countless contributions — has the potential to have an even greater impact on the well-being of the city, province and country.” à During his time as president of UVic, Aboriginal enrolment increased tenfold. From around 80 students when he started to more than 1,000 when he 42 newtrail.ualberta.ca
stepped down. “The fastest-growing youth population in Canada is our First Nations population, and yet educational attainment in that population is amongst the lowest in the nation. There’s a huge responsibility we have as Canadians and as academics to reach out and provide opportunities for Aboriginal students.” à He believes a public institution should take on tough issues. Universities have a responsibility to participate in public discourse on tough and controversial issues, says Turpin. “One of the things I love about universities: you’ve got this incredible group of extraordinarily talented people who are working on issues that really matter to society. And one of our responsibilities is to talk openly about them.” à In his free time, he heads for the outdoors. Turpin and his wife, Suromitra Sanatani, are looking forward to exploring the many opportunities to get out and get active in Alberta. “Suromitra and I just love
Until recently, she was chair of the Royal BC Museum. “What an opportunity to tell people where we’ve been and inform us about where we’re going.” Her varied volunteer roles have included the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and UVic Board of Governors. She’s looking forward to meeting more alumni. “Those I have met so far are very passionate about the university.” –lisa cook
being outside. We love boating. We have a place in the wilderness that we retreat to and really enjoy being out in nature.” à Edmonton is already starting to feel like home. “Suromitra and I have been so warmly welcomed into this community—we have never felt anything like it.”