‘Dream of a lifetime,’ President’s role for Paul Armstrong

Paul Armstrong has spent his adult life at Mohawk College. 

Paul Armstrong has devoted his adult life to Mohawk College. He earned a diploma in medical radiology and ultrasound in 1989, returned shortly after as a part-time instructor and from there, rose through the ranks of academic posts to become of Dean of the School of Health Sciences, Community and Urban Studies and then Vice President Academic.

In 2020, he became the College’s first Chief Operating Officer. 

After 38 years at Mohawk College, Armstrong officially took office as its ninth President on July 1. Remarkably, he is the first alumnus to assume this role. He knows of no other college graduate to serve as president of their alma mater.

“When I was doing the new student welcomes last week, I said, ‘At events like this, people like me say, I was in your shoes once, and I know what you’re going through. But in my case, it's actually true. I sat in those exact seats. Who knows? In 35 years, one of you may be up here.’”

Armstrong is sitting in his new office, reflecting on his path.

Young Paul Armstrong from Owen Sound embarking on his college career in 1986 would have never dreamed he would teach at Mohawk, he says, let alone become its leader. He had his sights set on working in healthcare, specifically in diagnostic imaging.

“I chose Mohawk College because that was the place I was going to get an education that would give me the career start that I wanted. It wasn't a second choice. It was my first choice because this was the place to go to get the education I needed to go where I wanted to in my career.”

Armstrong says he knew he made the right decision immediately.

“I knew that it wasn't going to be a transactional educational experience. I could tell from the first day that my teachers were preparing us to be colleagues in the industry. They challenged us. They taught us critical thinking and problem-solving.”

“I left Mohawk College with incredible hard skills and knowledge that made me really competent and capable in the job. But I would say what I also left with was a sense of confidence. When I think about my own journey, I think it's those things that gave me enough confidence to try new things, when I got out in clinical to take on new opportunities, to sort of challenge myself, to do different things. And so I still attribute that to the start I got here at Mohawk all these years ago.”

Armstrong finished his studies on a Friday and became a full-time employee in high-risk obstetrical ultrasound at the McMaster Medical Centre the following Monday. It wasn’t long before he was asked to teach an introductory course in ultrasound physics through continuing education, which began his career at Mohawk.

Mohawk College recognized Armstrong’s career achievements with an Alumni of Distinction Award in the Health Sciences category in 2013. In his personal life, Armstrong has two children, Daniel, 31, and Katrina, 29, and lives with his wife Lucy in Binbrook. He’s a dedicated hockey, soccer and lacrosse coach and community volunteer.

“With more than 30 years' experience as an educator and leader at Mohawk College and with the college sector, Paul has dedicated his career to building a college the community can be proud of – a college for learners who want to succeed and who are eager to make their mark in the world, and a college that is a go-to source for top talent among employers,” says Anna Filice, Chair of the Board of Governors.

“With Paul as its President, Mohawk College will not stand still. It will continue to lead and to innovate in the areas it is known for such as healthcare, technology and the skilled trades. And it will build on its experience and success to create new opportunities and push for meaningful change in areas like climate action.”

Focus on employers 

His priorities are to continue to advance Mohawk’s strategic plan. The strategic plan focuses on the College’s responsibility to address climate change and sustainability, Truth & Reconciliation, diversity, equity and inclusion, skilled trades shortages and generational poverty.

“I would say for me, the most important thing is how do we stay focused on ensuring that everything that we want to do against those aspirations is grounded in quality educational programs and academic excellence, having the right credentials, creating new opportunities for students to have different learning experiences through things like applied research, experiential learning or global learning opportunities.”

To stay relevant, the College must always ensure it is focused on the needs of employers.

“If our employers have access to the workforce they need, they're going to either stay in the community, they're going to relocate to the community, or they're going to grow in the community, and if they do that, it's going to create more opportunities for employment,” says Armstrong.

From there, Mohawk can help those employers upskill and reskill their workforce to adapt to changing needs, through the rapid skills training of micro-credentials right through to diplomas, degrees and graduate certificates. 

“If employers are successful, then the whole ecosystem and the economy in Hamilton is vibrant.”

Setting priorities 

Armstrong is dedicated to ensuring Mohawk College has the right mix of programs in rapidly growing areas of technology, such as cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and machine learning, while building on existing strengths in health and life sciences, aviation, engineering technology and advanced manufacturing. 

Armstrong says that while he’s been at Mohawk a long time, he still has lots to learn and relationships to build. He will be out across the campuses throughout the fall to meet with faculty and staff to hear what they’re thinking. 

“We will continue to have their voice shape what the priorities and the opportunities are going to be, because they're what make Mohawk College. I've talked to hundreds and hundreds of graduates over the years and I can tell you that almost every one of them has said that it was their faculty and our staff that had the biggest impact on them. Not one of them has ever said Mohawk was great because of the president. Never in the history of graduates, nobody has ever said that.” 

One of Armstrong’s most imminent priorities is the launch of a healthcare campus in Burlington to help address learner demand and employer need. Currently, about 600 students travel from Burlington and Oakville each year to study in the College’s healthcare programs, which have long wait lists. 

There is also the need to redevelop and expand the Stoney Creek Campus for Skilled Trades to meet growing demand. The College was also key to brokering of a massive deal with partners Schlegel Villages and Indwell that will see Mohawk College expand on a parcel of land on formal hospital lands on the north side of Fennell Avenue. The property will also be developed to include two long-term care facilities, a retirement home and affordable housing.  

This story originally appeared in Momentum Magazine.