ABOUT JANE

Jane Jae Kyung Shin was born in South Korea and immigrated to Canada with her family as a child. At the age of 16, she was diagnosed with a rare and serious blood disorder and was treated back to full health at the BC Children's Hospital. Her parents also received government and community support to train as healthcare assistants in their 50's. The experience solidified her belief and commitment for a fair and generous society, and to this day she attributes the success and well being of her family to the Canadian values and policies that fostered and protected them.

Shin has been actively involved in community service from a young age, volunteering for organizations such as the Canadian Red Cross Society and the Amnesty International. Her contributions were recognized by the City of Surrey and BCTV. She studied Cell Biology & Genetics at the University of British Columbia before pursuing a medical doctorate in Saint Lucia. She completed her clinical rotations at teaching hospitals in the United Kingdom, Halifax and Chicago, and assisted in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome research. Following graduation, she taught Human Biology at Vancouver Community College and British Columbia Institute of Technology, latter at which she also acted as the Head of Program in Health Care Management.

In 2013, Shin ran successfully to represent the Constituency of Burnaby-Lougheed for the 40th Parliament and with her victory, became the first Canadian of Korean descent in Canada to be elected to a Provincial Legislative Assembly. She served a number of roles in Opposition, as Deputy Spokesperson for Tourism, Arts & Culture, Immigration, Intergovernmental Relations, Trade and Multiculturalism, and as Spokesperson for Small Business. She put forward two private member bills, M 211 – 2015: Electronic Petitions Act and M 215 - 2015: Business Practices and Consumer Protection (Money Transfers) Amendment Act. During her term, Shin reached out to connect with over 50 minority communities across British Columbia, welcoming more than a thousand immigrants and new citizens to the capital city to empower intercultural dialogue and democratic participation.

Following her term in public office, Shin returned to Vancouver Community College as its Dean for Student Development, overseeing and reimagining services and programs that serve 14,000 students across three campuses. After two years in the role, she was promoted as the Associate Vice President for Student Success with an expanded portfolio, adding new mandates for Indigenous Education and Community Engagement, Student Wellness, Career Development, and Strategic Enrolment Management.

Shin was named in Canada's Top 25 Immigrants in 2019 by the Canadian Immigrant Magazine and Royal Bank of Canada’s national people's choice award that celebrates the achievements and accomplishments of Canadian Immigrants.

Having completed an executive certificate in Women in Leadership from Cornell University, Jane is currently earning her Master of Education in Educational Technology & Learning Design from Simon Fraser University and will begin her second doctorate in Leadership, Higher & Adult Education at University of Toronto. Her main research interest is in universal accessibility & inclusive design for teaching & learning and student experience. Shin continues to advocate for representation, equity and social justice, serving as a director on non-profit boards such as the DIVERSEcity Society and as the legacy program ambassador for BC Children’s Hospital Foundation.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO COME TO SFU?

Serving a portfolio that has multiple intersections with the academic areas on service provisions and delivery around our learning environments for the best student experience and outcome, I felt it was just as important to establish ourselves also as a credible partner in informing curriculum development, review and renewal to ensure the principles of universal design, accessibility of technological and non-technological tools, indigenization, and procedural fairness are demonstrably upheld. Having completed my Provincial Instructor's Diploma at VCC, I knew SFU would be where I can get the local context, diverse perspectives from peers and professors, and the latest best practices informed by research.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR RESEARCH AND/OR PROGRAM.

Universal accessibility & inclusive design for teaching & learning and student experience. 

WHAT ARE YOU PARTICULARLY ENJOYING ABOUT YOUR STUDIES/RESEARCH AT SFU?

Rich network of peers from all walks of life in my program and professors who are each uniquely engaging with fascinating range of research interests.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE?

I was humbled to be named Canada's Top 25 Immigrant 2019 in the Canadian Immigrant Magazine & Royal Bank of Canada's 11th Annual National People's Choice Award that celebrates the achievements and accomplishments of Canadian Immigrants. 
"After hundreds of nominations, a two-pronged judging process, a shortlist of 75 finalists and more than 65,000 online votes, 25 inspiring Canadian immigrants were chosen for this year's awards"

#immigrationmatters #immigrant #canadianimmigration