Shelley Liebembuk, PhD, an assistant professor from the theatre department, was appointed as the new director of the School of Creative Arts (SoCA), and will step into the role at the end of June. The previous director, Heather Davis-Fisch, PhD, is leaving UFV to work at the University of Lethbridge as the new dean of fine arts. Liebembuk sat down with The Cascade and shared some of her goals and plans that she hopes to achieve.
“I feel very well stewarded to take on the directorship,” said Liebembuk. She attributed her qualifications to her experience working at the university for the last four years as well as building curriculum. “I also recognize that there’s going to be a learning curve. This is a new kind of position and it’s a managerial position at a certain level for a very large group of humans.”
Liebembuk said that it was her mentor and colleague, Davis-Fisch, who first told her about the job opening and encouraged her to apply. She attributed much of her success and opportunities here at UFV to Davis-Fisch, as she was the one who encouraged Liebembuk to first apply to work at UFV four years ago.
The hiring process for the position was quick as Liebembuk learned about the opening in mid-April, and was promoted on May 12. “I was interviewed by a panel of folks from the School of Creative Arts,” said Liebembuk. She was later unanimously voted in as the new director by permanent faculty from SoCA. “I feel like I’m supported and folks believe that I can step up to the job, and that’s a really nice feeling.”
Liebembuk equates the transition into her new position with “preparing for a role.” She is grateful for all the shadowing that she has done with Davis-Fisch, saying she has gleaned a lot of wisdom and knowledge from her mentor in the last six weeks. “I am feeling very well supported because Heather’s guidance has been incredible. From the first day I got here and right through to the end of this month, we basically switched roles and she’s been very generous with her time and very detailed in the information.”
Liebembuk said that one of the main components of her position is “to oversee the operations of the school.” This includes “helping people feel heard, getting work done, collaborating and advocating for what people need, and supporting them in that process.” Liebembuk will also be “overseeing staff, budget, events, faculty, as well as engaging and dealing with any conflicts that come up.”
The other aspect of being director of SoCA is reviewing and creating new curriculum, which Liebembuk has prior experience with. On top of teaching theatre, Liebembuk has been “working extensively in curriculum programming at the College of Arts.”
She will also be helping to implement the curriculum that SoCA has been working on under Davis-Fisch. “Davis-Fisch was stewarding us through all the areas to do revisions and visioning for new programs that will come out fall 2024,” said Liebembuk. “The different areas of SoCA are all focused on really innovating our curriculum, making them more interdisciplinary, honouring how creative arts practice is being taught in innovative institutions across North America. So, a big part of my job in the next year is about that curriculum,” which will include “an indigenous art certificate… that we’re hoping to roll out.”
There are some goals already in place by SoCA that Liebembuk will help fulfill as director, which include the renovations in Building K, creating more areas for students to utilize, including a multimedia space that can be used for theatrical performances.
Liebembuk also emphasized the importance of SoCA’s community partnerships. “We develop possible projects both for student practicums and also for events for festival programming… The Chilliwack Cultural Center now has eight student practicums in theatre for students for next year, including the winter term.” She will also continue to build relationships with partners that already work with SoCA, such as The Reach, expanding opportunities for students to gain experience in the industry.
Despite the transition to an administrative role, Liebembuk still plans to teach in the future. “I’m excited about the directorship because I think it’s a chance to have a different access point to tell a different group of people how important what we do in the classroom is,” but stipulated, “I am first and foremost an educator.”
Rachel is working towards a BA with a concentration in English and Theatre. She has been employed at The Cascade since Fall 2021 as a Staff Writer and a Jr. News Editor. Currently, she is the sectional News Editor and enjoys meeting and interviewing people as well as taking long walks in nature. Rachel also likes to stay up to date on the latest trends and informs students through her fashion column entitled Campus Fashion.
