FORT ST. JOHN – Eric Sehn has held five different positions and worked at several campuses during his almost 13-year tenure at Northern Lights College.
But after more than a decade at NLC, Sehn, who is Dean of Instruction (Academic and Career Programs), will be leaving the College at the end of January to take over as Dean of the School of Trades and Technology at Camosun College in Victoria.
Sehn started his career at NLC in 1998, as the Continuing Education Coordinator in Fort Nelson. Two years later, he moved to Fort St. John as the Acting Assistant Principal, before taking on the Campus Principal position in Chetwynd from 2001-04. He has been based at the Fort St. John Campus since 2004, first as Campus Principal, and then as a Dean after the College’s administration structure was changed in 2006.
“It’s been quite an amazing 12 years. I’ve almost grown up at Northern Lights College,” Sehn said. “Northern Lights is a place that gives people opportunities that you would never get somewhere else. I’ve been given the opportunity to do so many things, and it’s served me extremely well for the position I’m going to.”
Sehn recalled that when he started at NLC, he was married, and his education background featured a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.
Since then, his family has expanded with the addition of two children, and he has completed his Master of Education degree. He has been involved with many of the program areas at NLC, through his various positions, and has been a member of the collective bargaining team during contract negotiations.
As well, Sehn points to several areas of accomplishment of which he is particularly proud. He helped coordinate the creation of the College’s Centre for Innovation in Teaching and Learning; he was chair of the B.C. Deans of Arts and Sciences provincial committee; and he has been involved with the expansion of Dual Credit programming to involve University Arts and Sciences courses and programs.
“I’m very proud of the Dual Credit program, and our relationship with the school districts. It’s great to be able to get things done, and we have shown that we can get things done quickly for the enrichment of our communities,” Sehn said.
Sehn said his departure comes with mixed feelings, because he and his family have enjoyed living in the north, and just recently started to be involved in the music scene in Fort St. John. And it will be a lifestyle change for someone born and raised in northeastern Alberta, before moving to northern B.C.
“When the emails started pouring in after the announcement was made public, it was almost overwhelming, and very touching,” Sehn said. “But it’s going to be a real adventure. We’ve thoroughly enjoyed our time in northeast B.C. and will really miss the people, but not the minus 35 temperatures!”
Sehn’s last day at NLC is Jan. 28, and he starts at Camosun at the end of February.