Dr. Selma Wassermann: Rooted in Legacy

Dr. Selma Wassermann: Rooted in Legacy is a four-part series that traces the origins, people, and enduring philosophy behind one of Simon Fraser University’s most influential educational legacies. Through personal reflection, archival storytelling, and historical context, the series explores how Dr. Selma Wassermann helped shape the Faculty of Education from its earliest days—imagining new ways of teaching, learning, and being in community.

Beginning with Sowing Seeds, the series situates Selma’s arrival at a young, unfinished university and the freedom that allowed bold ideas to take root. Encouraging Growth follows the experimental spirit that defined the Faculty’s early years, revealing how necessity, courage, and trust led to practices that reimagined teacher education. Establishing Identity centres the people—colleagues, teachers, and staff—whose shared values and relationships formed the heart of this work. The series concludes with Philosophy & Reflection, where Selma reflects on a lifetime of teaching grounded in a simple, enduring commitment: to see children, honour them, and teach in ways that let them shine.

Together, these stories offer more than a retrospective. They are an invitation to remember what matters, to learn from a legacy of thoughtful risk-taking, and to carry forward an educational vision rooted in humanity, care, and possibility.