Today, Thompson Rivers University welcomes longtime Indigenous education advocate DeDe DeRose as she begins her term as only the fourth chancellor in university history.
DeRose—a member of the Esk’etemc First Nation in Williams Lake—graduated in 1981 from the Native Indian Teacher’s Education Bed Program (NITEP) before earning a Diploma in Education in 1990 and a Master of Education (MEd) from UBC in 1993.
After earning her master’s degree, DeRose enjoyed a long career in education. She started as a teacher in the Cariboo Chilcotin District and then transitioned into administration as a school principal in the Kamloops-Thompson District.
Throughout her career, DeRose has repeatedly been recognized for her work in Indigenous education. Among her many professional accolades, DeRose was named the inaugural winner of the Teacher Educator Award from the Association of BC Deans of Education in 2005. Then, in 2012, the BC Ministry of Education appointed her as the first-ever Superintendent of Aboriginal Achievement.
In a statement from the university, Brett Fairbairn, TRU president and vice-chancellor, offered praise for the incoming chancellor, saying that “her dedication to Indigenous education and her efforts to promote intercultural understanding” made DeRose the embodiment of TRU’s core values.
The statement explains that as chancellor, DeRose’s responsibilities will include presiding over convocation ceremonies and serving as a member of the university board of governors and senate.
DeRose will formally be installed in a ceremony later this spring, succeeding Nathan Matthew, whose term has now concluded.