Vancouver Community College is the oldest of its kind in British Columbia – this fact is not lost on Ajay Patel, who appreciates his role as its president every day. While a lot of his work is managing the institution’s operations, it is the idea of influencing the future generations of students that excites him.

If you ask Angela Brooks-Wilson whether she is an administrator or scientist, she will say, “Both.” As the dean of a science department of Simon Fraser University, it is always a challenge to keep up with what is going on at the time and what the goals of the faculty are. She doesn’t do it alone, thanks to a solid team that handles staff, students, and infrastructure to make sure that everything runs smoothly.

Diana Chapman Walsh was the president of Wellesley College until 2007, but what does that mean? In a way, it is a role with big responsibilities but without getting “into the weeds” – bringing donors, alumni, and campus personnel together. The trick, according to Walsh, is to be selective with the power and presence of the college president, to get initiatives going when things get stuck. And, of course, fundraising – a crucial part of any post-secondary institution.