In celebration of International Women’s Day 2022, we sat down to chat with one of Centennial’s most inspiring women leaders: Véronique Henry, Dean of the School of Community and Health Studies at Centennial College.
A former lawyer, Véronique joined the Centennial community in 2013 as a professor of paralegal studies. She was named Chair of the Centre for Legal and Administrative Studies in 2016 and took on the position of Acting Dean of The Business School in 2018. She moved into her current role in 2021.
Heavily involved in mentorship initiatives and volunteerism both within the Centennial community and beyond, Véronique is deeply committed to breaking down barriers for women and racialized young people through the power of advocacy and philanthropy.
Here, she tells us about what inspires and motivates her –– and shares a special message for International Women’s Day.
Can you tell us a little bit about what inspired your career path?
When I was young, my mother put the alphabet up on the wall and next to the letter “L” was the word lawyer, and a picture of a Black woman. This was in the early 80s when that kind of representation wasn’t common. It sounds silly, but this cartoon next to the letter “L” really inspired me and I decided that’s who I wanted to be.
As I grew older, I started to understand more about the inequities in our society –– including inequities that impacted me personally. That further fuelled my passion to know more about the law and to help my community and others.
I went into criminal law and practiced for quite a while. But in 2013, I started teaching paralegal courses at the college level, and found myself teaching at three colleges –– including Centennial –– while practicing law full-time.
When I found out I was pregnant with my daughter, I had to decide between education and law. I decided that education would allow me to have better control over my time while allowing me to share my love for advocacy and the law with others. It was shortly after that that I became a full-time professor at Centennial, and it’s been a wild ride since then!
Why did you choose to focus on growing your career in education at Centennial?
At the time, Ann Buller was President of Centennial and I was very attracted to the idea of working at a major GTA college that had a woman at the helm. Just before she left, Centennial was in the process of committing to being an advocate college –– a place where people from all walks of life feel safe, supported, and empowered. That really spoke to me, and I’ve spent a significant portion of my time here advocating for the needs and voices of students.
You are involved in a number of mentorship initiatives at Centennial and outside of the College community as well. Why is mentorship so important to you?
I’m thrilled to have supported the Black Mentorship Initiative at Centennial as well as informal mentorship opportunities. Representation matters so much –– without it, it can be harder for young Black students to identify and pursue their goals. Being able to see and interact with Black leaders can open the door to possibilities you hadn’t thought about, just by seeing and knowing that there are people in those positions.
If I can make the road easier for students by sharing my experiences as a racialized person, as a woman, and just as a person, then that’s such a gift.
I’m also involved with a couple of other organizations where I lead group mentorship sessions, specifically speaking to young people about microaggressions at work and in life.
You created a scholarship for students at Centennial College. Can you share what inspired you to get involved as a donor?
My scholarship is specifically for students of the Legal and Administrative Studies program in The Business School, where I previously served. It’s named in honour of my paternal grandmother and maternal grandfather and has been such a great outlet for my family to create a legacy in their names.
We love knowing our donations are going to a good place by furthering the education of people pursuing careers in the legal field. I’m also now planning to start a new scholarship for students in the School of Community and Health Studies, where I’m currently serving as Dean.
I believe strongly in the importance and value of education, and I’m very committed to removing barriers for people wanting to access education. Creating a scholarship is also a very accessible thing to do –– you can support a scholarship just by having regular, manageable donations come off each pay cheque. I would encourage anyone to consider the impact they can create as a scholarship donor!
The theme of this International Women’s Day is #BreaktheBias. What message do you have for other women hoping to overcome obstacles and follow in your footsteps?
I would say that it may be difficult, but it’s possible and I’m here to support. For me, building my career was brick by brick, step by step, dollar by dollar. But I got there. And I think each of us who breaks through and achieves success makes the road a little bit easier for the women who come after us.
And I also hope that despite all that’s going on right now, the world for our daughters really will be a better place –– a place where the inequities women face here in Canada and around the world are a thing of the past.
To donate in honour of International Women’s Day, click here.