Welcome Carrie Chassels

It did not take long for the University of Guelph’s recently hired vice-provost (student affairs) to feel embraced as one of the newest members of the Gryphon family. In fact, it happened the moment Carrie Chassels set foot in her office.

“As soon as I walked into my office on the first day, I was greeted with a welcome package from (Gryphons women’s hockey head coach) Rachel Flanagan,” says Chassels, who began a five year appointment as U of G’s vice-provost (student affairs) on August 27, 2018.

“I still get goosebumps just recalling it. The welcome package included some great Gryphon swag, as well as an invitation asking me to perform the ceremonial puck drop at the women’s hockey team’s home opener. The excitement that I felt that first day ended up carrying on throughout the entire season as I, like so many of our Gryphon alumni and supporters, had the chance to help cheer on our women’s hockey team to their first-ever national championship. As far as fond first memories go, you can’t get better than that.”

When Chassels arrived at U of G in the summer of 2018, she did so with more than 25 years of experience under her belt as both an educator and academic administrator. Her most recent

tenure took place on Canada’s west coast where she served as the associate vice-president (student affairs) at Vancouver Island University. In her current position at the University of Guelph, Chassels oversees six different departments with a portfolio that involves nearly 300 part- and full-time staff as well as 1,000 student employees. But it was the opportunity to help lead the department of athletics, specifically, that seemed to resonate with Chassels from the very beginning.

“When I was first contacted about the opportunity to be considered as a candidate for this position, all of my research about Guelph and its reputation kept leading me back to Gryphon Athletics. It was one of my number one draws. In my cover letter when I introduced myself, I talked about what excited me most about the role, and my very first paragraph was all about being associated with Gryphon Athletics. I have not been on a campus where I have seen so much pride in their school identity. It is truly unique.”

Perhaps nobody better embodies the sense of school pride better than Carrie herself, who is often easy to spot at Gryphon varsity games. It is not uncommon to find U of G’s vice-provost (student affairs) in the stands, clad in red, black and gold apparel with a cowbell in hand cheering on the Gryphons. The passion that Chassels exudes at Gryphon home games is something that she considers to be a key ingredient to fueling the athletics department as a whole.

“Everything in Gryphon Athletics is driven by a passion for the students. Not just the student-athletes themselves, but all students. It’s about developing our students as scholars and citizens in our community, and there is a tremendous impact that can happen through sport. We are all Gryphons. Right from the moment of orientation, we embrace those Gryphon values. We all play a role in fostering that, but there is no question that our student-athletes are a big part of what drives that Gryphon Pride.”