Faces of WEST
Dr. Patricia France
St. Clair College – Past President
“I think that caring deeply about something empowers you to have a voice and to use your voice to influence it.”
- Tell us about yourself.
I’m Patti France. As of June of 2024, I will be the retired President of St. Clair College, having worked there for over 37 years – the past nine as President. I’m certainly passionate about my family, and I’m excited that my retirement will give me much more time to spend with them, especially my grandson. Some people find my taste in TV shows a bit odd, because I’ll flip between Hallmark movies – especially Christmas ones, because I like to watch them for decorating ideas – and a wild, action-packed series like “Vikings”. I suppose the most widely told “fun fact” about me was that when I was named as St. Clair’s President in 2015, I was then – as far as we could tell – the only college President in Canada whose original postsecondary credential had actually been earned within that educational system (as opposed to a university degree). - What does WEST mean to you?
To me, WEST means the gift of unlimited opportunity. I have dealt with the organization chiefly through its educational component, as St. Clair has, for many years, hosted groups of WEST clients in skilled trades training programs – really difficult, physically demanding, and non-gender-traditional programs such as precision metal cutting and CNC industrial-mechanical millwright. These are life-changing, life-bettering careers for the women involved, and their families too. It has been an honour, as an educator and a woman, to have worked with WEST to provide these opportunities. - In your opinion, what sets WEST apart in its approach to supporting women in the community?
WEST, in my mind, is remarkable for its comprehensiveness. It supports all aspects of its clientele’s needs and development: personal, family, social, health and wellness, economic, employment. Especially in the case of the many new immigrants that it works with, the organization knows that a great deal of supportive groundwork must be put in place before education, job-training and job-placement can be effectively pursued, and it does all of that in such a capable and caring manner. - Is there any woman that has inspired you or continues to inspire you?
I’ve had the pleasure of speaking at several of WEST’s International Women’s Day banquets, and I’ve made a comment at those that I will repeat here: As educators, we’re supposed to be the people who are inspiring our students. But, in the case of WEST’s clients, I’ve found that the relationship has been reversed: they have constantly impressed and inspired me. In contrast to my admittedly comfortable life as a born-in-Canada citizen, the personal stories of many of WEST’s immigrant clients involve such tremendous courage and sacrifice that I have been left in awe of them. - What empowers you?
This may sound simplistic, but I think that caring deeply about something empowers you to have a voice and to use your voice to influence it. I care deeply about the success of the generation that follows ours, so I became an educator to try to enable their success. I care deeply that fellow women can and should realize the same degree of ambition that I have throughout my life, so I try to deliver messages of positivity whenever I can. I care deeply about the well-being of my community, so if I’m asked to lend my support to a cause or my expertise to an organization’s board, I will do that.
