Carmen Sicilia

For more than a decade, Dr. Carmen Sicilia, has been a scholar-advocate on behalf of adult learners and Indigenous communities throughout Québec. First as Director of Career Professional Development Programs (CPD) for many years, as Associate Dean of Academic and Faculty Affairs, and now as inaugural Director of the School of Continuing Studies’ Indigenous Relations Initiative and Adaptive and Integrated Domain. Dr. Sicilia has been building programs, recruiting and mentoring learners as well as faculty and staff colleagues, with their needs and interests at top of mind.

With her tireless work and creative vision, SCS solidified a successful transition from small centre to full-scale faculty with a growing array of undergraduate and graduate programs. Carmen has recruited to McGill a group of highly talented, equally dedicated faculty and staff whom she has mentored and enabled to do their best. When students need help or answers, Carmen has always been there for them, no matter how challenging. Carmen Sicilia has dedicated herself to creating a learning environment for Indigenous learners that places the interests of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit values and needs at the centre. Working in close partnership with community organizations, Carmen designed a 360° approach to academic support for learners to increase retention and improving learning outcomes. At the same time, she has spent countless hours writing grant applications and building university wide partnerships to further strengthen the relationship with Indigenous communities all around Quebec and Canada. Deeply committed to lifelong learning with dignity and cultural respect, Carmen Sicilia is certainly one of our “unsung heroes”.

Nominated by colleagues at the School of Continuing Studies