Provost's Biography
Dr. Florentine Strzelczyk, Provost & Vice-President (Academic)
Florentine Strzelczyk is an internationally recognized scholar and university leader. Currently the Provost and Vice-President (Academic) at Western University, Strzelczyk’s impact on Canadian higher education is underscored by her dedication to enabling student success, strengthening inclusivity, and deepening global connection.
After obtaining her MA in Germany and PhD at University of British Columbia as an international student, Strzelczyk joined Queen’s University in 1995 as an assistant professor, and in 1997 moved to the University of Calgary where she was promoted to associate and then full professor. She is widely recognized for her scholarship in film and cultural studies, having been funded by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, the German Academic Exchange Service, and received a prestigious Killam Award.
Strzelczyk assumed increasing leadership responsibilities throughout her years at Calgary, culminating in her role as Deputy Provost in 2018 where she successfully negotiated several collective agreements, oversaw the renewal of the university’s Internationalization Strategy, developed new policies for academic appointments, tenure, and merit, and chaired the tri-council sponsored national Dimensions EDI pilot. Before her arrival at Western, Strzelczyk served as Provost, Vice-President Academic and Pro-Vice Chancellor at Memorial University (2021-22). In this role she set the financial and governance foundations for launching a new campus in Labrador, completed a reorganization of the Registrar’s Office, and began the groundwork for a new budget model.
Since arriving at Western in 2022, Strzelczyk has helped drive tremendous progress in realizing the ambitious goals set out in Towards Western at 150, Western’s strategic plan. She directed the development of Western’s new Global Engagement Plan that sets the vision and goals for the university’s global research and partnership engagement. Strzelczyk led the integration of Brescia University College with Western, and is co-leading the creation of the Bioconvergence Centre, Western’s newest cutting-edge interdisciplinary research facility.
For more than 20 years, Strzelczyk has remained committed to inspiring university leaders to be bold and innovative, serving as a facilitator, instructor, and mentor in national leadership programs, including those supporting women and equity-deserving groups. She currently serves on the Centre for Higher Education and Research and Development (CHERD) advisory board for SUAC – the Senior University Administrator Course that she has also co-facilitated since 2022.
Her commitment to community engagement and volunteerism has been a cornerstone of her career. In her community of London, Ontario, Strzelczyk serves as a Board Member with Museum London and the London Economic Development Corporation. Provincially she is a member of the eCampus Ontario Board of Directors where she focuses on enhancing teaching and learning through technology, and also serves as an Executive on the Ontario Council of Academic Vice-Presidents, providing leadership on educational excellence and major policy issues affecting universities. Globally, Strzelczyk serves on the editorial board of Schüren Publishing Marburg, Germany, that publishes academic works focused on Eastern European film, culture, and politics.
Strzelczyk is the recipient of a 2024 Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award in recognition of her impact and contributions to higher education.
