The UWC National Committee of Canada (NCC) is a volunteer-powered organization responsible for the recruitment and selection of Canadian students wanting to attend UWC, including, but not limited to, Pearson College UWC in British Columbia. The NCC provides support and guidance to the Regional Chapters in Canada's provinces and territories who conduct selection across the country.  The NCC serves as a hub to provide support to UWC students and their families while attending UWC and is a growing network for UWC alumni from and in Canada.

Canada first established a UWC national committee in the late 1960's to send students to the first UWC, Atlantic College in Wales. Members of that National Committee went on to help found the second UWC College in the movement - Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific, in 1974. From the mid-70's to 2016, Pearson College served as the National Committee of Canada.  In 2016, the UWC National Committee of Canada was re-established as a not-for-profit charity in Canada. 

Our Purpose:

The UWC National Committee of Canada exists to seek out, engage, and support the people who make up the UWC community in and from Canada. We articulate and make relevant the UWC mission and values in the Canadian context.

Our Principles:

• Equity and Inclusion: The NCC strives for equity of opportunity and active inclusion of diverse individuals and communities in its work.
• Transparency and Communication: The NCC is committed to transparent conduct in its activities. To this end, the NCC strives for clear communication (internal, with volunteers, applicants, families, UWC colleges, etc.) as appropriate.
• Value Relationships and Engagement: The NCC aspires to thoughtful and sustainable engagement with its stakeholders (e.g., volunteers, parents, regional chapters, alumni, etc.). The NCC seeks to be a good partner with Pearson UWC and other UWC colleges.
• Organizational Reflection: The NCC will draw on its past and change when warranted through institutional reflection at regular intervals.
• Financially Sustainable: The NCC endeavours to be sustainable with its resources, financial and otherwise.

Are you interested in becoming a Director on the Board of the UWC NCC?

As a UWC National Committee, we are committed to deliberate diversity and therefore aim to select Directors as diverse as the students and alumni we serve. Our goal is to create an inclusive culture that gives voice to the wide variety of perspectives across Canada. To do this, we encourage a wide range of candidates to apply, including people from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds. We encourage you to first volunteer with the UWC National Committee of Canada in any area (fundraising, selections, nominations, partnerships, etc) and apply to be on the Board after a consistent annual year of volunteer support.

Volunteer Application: https://form-can.keela.co/uwc-ncc-volunteer-onboarding-form 

We will consider your application in a manner that is as respectful and as free from bias as possible as we pursue the best available people who are experienced, qualified and incredible human beings who have the time and energy to commit to leading the UWC National Committee of Canada sustainably into the future. To apply, email your resume and cover letter to: executivedirector@ca.uwc.org 

Our People: Current Directors of the UWC National Committee of Canada

Alastair Foreman (Chair of the UWC NCC Board of Directors)

Alastair attended UWC South East Asia in Singapore as a student and was a faculty member at Red Cross Nordic UWC in Norway.  More recently, he has been co-leading the BC Chapter of the National Committee of Canada, helping to select the next generation of UWC scholars.  He now serves as co-chair of the Selection Committee.  As a teacher Alastair worked all over the world, including such diverse places as Canada's high arctic, Turkey and Norway,  As a software development professional, Alastair helped manage a local Vancouver company to global success in environmental data management. 

Jamie Ronson (Vice-Chair of the UWC NCC Board of Directors; Chair of the Governance Committee)

Jamie is a graduate of UWC-USA.  She is a macroeconomist currently working as a senior advisor with PSP Investments, one of Canada’s largest pension investors.  She has previous career experience as an economist at Bombardier Aerospace, and the Department of Finance Canada. Her not-for-profit board experience includes the Canadian Association for Business Economists.  Jamie’s fundraising experience with an intergenerational community food hub in Montreal will come in handy as she Chairs the Fundraising Committee of the NCC she also serves on the Governance Committee.

Gurveen Chadha (Chair of Alumni and Community Engagement Committee)

Gurveen graduated from UWC in India in 2009. She has been a part of the NCC Fundraising Committee and has participated in UWC selections. Gurveen currently works as a Business Operations Lead at Shopify where she provides strategic and operational guidance. She graduated from Harvard University with a Master in Public Policy. Prior to Harvard, Gurveen spent 4 years working in federal politics. She worked on Justin Trudeau's policy team, and then served as Director of Policy to Marc Garneau, the Minister of Transport. Gurveen also has experience in the private sector in marketing and entrepreneurship. Gurveen has a BA in Government from Dartmouth College.     

Libby Mason (Chair of the Selections Committee)

Bio coming soon.

Jeff Needham (Chair of the Nominations Committee)

Bio coming soon.

Hillarie Zimmerman (Chair of North Regional Chapter)

Bio coming soon.

Allison McDonnell (Chair of BC Regional Chapter)

Bio coming soon.

Connor Scheu (Chair of the Prairies Regional Chapter)

Bio coming soon.

Izzy Tamale (Chair of the Ontario Regional Chapter)

Bio coming soon.

Racim Bedjaoui (Chair of the Quebec Regional Chapter)

Bio coming soon.

Vacant (Chair of Atlantic Canada Regional Chapter)

We are actively seeking someone in this role. Please reach out if interested.  

Staff

Lyndsay Sprado – NCC Executive Director

After many years of working within post-secondary student recruitment and admissions sectors for public Universities across Canada (University of Alberta (North and Augustana Campuses); Acadia University, Brock University and Simon Fraser University), Lyndsay has joined the UWC National Committee of Canada after also spending three years living and working for UWC ISAK Japan as their Director of Admissions and Co-Director of University Advising, Advisor, Volleyball Coach, and more. Knowing the ins and outs of the student experience entering the UWC movement and their next steps in education upon graduation from UWC, Lyndsay has a passion for student support, and is inspired by the strength of the UWC movement and the NC system within it, made up of the exceptional alumni and their engagement and connection that lasts a lifetime.