Empowering leadership through creativity

Before joining Sheridan, former President and Vice Chancellor Dr. Mary Preece hadn’t fully considered the role creativity plays in learning and leadership. But after becoming the College’s Provost and Vice President Academic in 2008, she found herself immersed in the exploration of how creativity could be embedded in all programs, and leading work that included creating the Board Undergraduate Certificate in Creativity and Creative Problem Solving.

She soon came to realize that the power of creativity could be unlocked to solve problems for everyone at Sheridan – whether it was students, administrators or faculty members.

“Developing the programming at Sheridan allowed me to explore the realities of creativity, and it helped me to explore my own personal dynamics and foster the courage to integrate creativity in a broader sense at Sheridan,” she recalls. “I was surrounded by creativity, and, for the end of my career, it was like being in the richest playground possible.”

When she retired in 2018, Preece began looking for ways to celebrate the people continuing to embed creative principles in their work and created the Dr. Mary Preece SWITCH (Sheridan Women Innovating Through the Creative Heart) Award. Each year, three awards are available to a woman, or an individual who identifies as a woman – one for a student, one for an administrator and another for a faculty member – who has demonstrated leadership through creativity and innovation that makes a positive impact on the Sheridan community.

Preece says it was important to recognize women for their leadership because many of the qualities they demonstrate as leaders, such as being inclusive and looking at many different facets of a problem, aren’t always valued. But they are essential to fostering creative problem solving.

Since the award was first introduced in 2019, there have been 19 faculty, staff and student recipients.  Earlier this fall, we spoke to some of the past winners about how creativity has been a part of their success. Professors Ferzana Chaze and Sarah Sinclair joined Sandra Yu, a Co-op Education Advisor, along with alumnae Bridget Chiasson (Bachelor of Applied Health Sciences – Athletic Therapy ’24) and Delina Yohannes (Bachelor of Interaction Design ’23) in a conversation about how they bring creativity into their work, and the courage it takes to approach old problems with new tactics.

Sheridan: What did it mean to you to receive the SWITCH award?

Ferzana: I think the award helped me reflect more deeply on what creativity is and what leadership is all about. I think creativity can look very different for different people, and this award is a way of validating that.

Sarah: People who do the kinds of things that we do, we don't do it for outside praise. To have someone notice the hard work that we're doing and to say, “What you did meant something to the community,” that helps to validate a lot of really late nights and the tough days. I'm so grateful that Mary decided to leave this legacy.

Delina: I was deeply honoured to find out that my professor, Nathaniel Barr, nominated me for this award. His class was an elective, but I felt genuinely excited to attend each session. I cherished the chance to learn, and I always approached his assignments with passion. Graduation was a significant milestone for me. My family traveled from all over to celebrate, and seeing their pride as I walked across that stage to receive the SWITCH award is a memory we still cherish. That recognition is more than just a personal achievement; it serves as a visible reminder to others of what’s possible with dedication. And this recognition fuels my drive to put my all into what I do, to surpass limits, and to fully engage in learning.

Sheridan: Can you describe how you use creativity in your work? Why is it important?

Delina: Professor Barr’s assignments became opportunities for me to dive deep into writing—something I truly enjoy. Though the requirement might be five pages, I often found myself writing 10 to 15 because I was engrossed in the topics. He supported the enthusiasm and that reinforced my drive to continue investing hard work and creativity in all that I do. Being in my master’s program right now has sparked a new sense of ambition in me—a drive to keep learning, growing, and pushing beyond perceived limits. I’ve realized that education doesn’t have to end at any particular point. In fact, curiosity and passion can propel us forward at any stage of life.

Bridget: You think about creativity in a context of problem solving, but it’s also in how what we're doing complements what others are doing. As a student, creativity really opened up other opportunities. I studied athletic therapy, but now I’ve found myself looking at jobs and seeing how a lot of the things I learned (during the undergraduate certificate in creativity) match up with requirements for other jobs which I feel would push me to different limits.

Sandra: I think creativity is about refusing to be confined by what people have done before... it’s about thinking outside of the box and being curious.  In my role as Employment Development Specialist (the role for which I received the SWITCH Award), I facilitated connections between our students, graduates, employers and community partners. To achieve the goal of improving student and graduate employment outcomes I needed to be creative, ask a lot of questions, and try new ways of doing things, and I think it paid off.

“This award helps to validate a lot of really late nights and the tough days. I'm so grateful that Mary decided to leave this legacy.”

– Sarah Sinclair

Ferzana: I think creativity really is about asking: how do we use whatever's at our disposal to make the change we want to see happen around us? For example, it helps in curriculum development, curriculum implementation and in research. It's important to think about how you're going to use resources to create knowledge that's meaningful for communities, for working in partnerships effectively, and for creating learning experiences that are exceptional.

Sarah: One of the pieces that really resonated with me about what everyone here has said is that idea to really have courage – the courage to think outside of the box and to keep innovating. Being proud and courageous in facing a problem, you can't have that without being vulnerable first. And to get to that point of vulnerability requires so much courage, which is how we end up being proud at the end. So, for me, that's all part of the (creativity) formula.

Sandra: I think it (also) takes tenacity to be courageous. There are times when you may encounter skepticism from others and even end up doubting yourself when you’re trying something new.

Sheridan: But of course, it’s not always easy to lead with a creative approach to problem-solving. How have you overcome obstacles?

Sarah: The first place I always go when we're coming up with new ideas is the community; in my case, straight to students. But I also lean on the expertise of our faculty and staff in the student experience teams. When you get that chance to collaborate and communicate and build those relationships, it’s amazing the unexpected connections that make what you're doing richer, and the unexpected paths that (lead you) where you didn’t know you were going to go.

Ferzana: I think (lack of) time and resources (are the main challenges). One way I always work around this is to recognize that and maximize the resources that are around. My background is in social work, and we work with the most marginalized of communities with zero resources. So I think that is deeply ingrained in me.

Sandra: With limited resources, you have to stay on top of things and think ‘How can I achieve the same goal?’ And yes, it's all about the students. It's all about the community: how can I support and serve this community? It’s trying to find new partners and trying new things.

“You think about creativity in a context of problem solving, but it’s also in how what we're doing complements what others are doing. As a student, creativity really opened up other opportunities.

– Bridget Chiasson

Sheridan: What advice would you have for others who might be facing roadblocks in their own creativity?

Ferzana: I think the idea of creativity itself can be really intimidating. So my suggestion would be to think of creativity in the small ‘c. ’How do you just do what you do normally in the best way possible? In the most creative way possible? For me, creativity is much easier to relate to when I see it in terms of (applying it to) my everyday tasks.

Sarah: I keep a kudos bin in my email and it's those moments where, you know, I celebrate those great assignments that students give me, or great conversations. And on those stormy days, I lean into those as inspiration, as reminders to give myself a little bit of permission to rest and reflect not just on where I'm going, but also where I've been and who's been there to support me through that journey.

Bridget: I would say, be open to new experiences and ideas. And when there's opportunity, leap at it. Even if it's not something you would have seen yourself doing. If you'd asked me in high school if I was going to go into anything remotely related to biology, the answer would have been no. Then there I was studying Athletic Therapy. So being open to learning, to trying new things, that will really drive you forward.

Delina: Embracing openness is essential—not only in inspiring others but also in allowing yourself to be inspired. I recall Professor Patricia Marshall saying that obtaining a certificate alongside our degree could benefit us in ways we couldn’t yet imagine. At the time, I hadn’t considered the importance of pursuing electives for the creativity certificate, but her words opened my eyes to the long-term value of seizing every opportunity. Students like Bridget and myself are changemakers, with the younger generation primarily looking up to us. When they see us striving for excellence, it sends a powerful message: "If I can do it, you can too."

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This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Sheridan staff and faculty looking to nominate a colleague or student for a SWITCH Award are invited to visit the People Awards page on Sheridan Central.