Excerpted from CCARE Newsletter, September 2022

Cheryle Paquette: Keeping the School of Health &

Human Services on Track for Over 30 Years

So many years of my life are connected

to Camosun College and the Lansdowne
Campus. As a young child I lived on the
slopes of Dean Heights, a few blocks
from the Normal School. In the 1950s I
played with my siblings in the forest and
grasslands where the buildings of
Camosun would later be built.

As an adult, I looked to the college for

work. In 1973 I applied for an
Administrative Secretary position with
the Director of the Business Division. I
was tested on my typing and shorthand
skills in a secretarial classroom in the
Young Building basement. I was hired
by Lorne Thompson and started
immediately on the third floor of the
Ewing Building where the Principal, Dr.
Grant Fisher, Directors and
administrative staff were situated. I Cheryle Paquette in 2012
can’t believe the high tech equipment I
thought we were using - my typewriter
was an Electric Smith Corona; I used a Gestetner machine; and took dictation
using shorthand!

At that time, there were army huts on Argyle Street where Biology and Chemistry
were located. In another small building, behind the Young Building, there was a
cafeteria for students. The College had opened in 1971 and programs were
hastily being developed, faculty hired and students registered. We were all very
busy but I found everyone excited about planning programs for the students.

The college felt like a community where everyone worked together to achieve
common goals. I loved the atmosphere and challenges of the job. The feeling of
community, which I first experienced in the Business Division with the faculty and
staff, continued for all my time at Camosun. One of my fond memories of the
early days were fun times planning Christmas events with other staff and faculty.
 Excerpted from CCARE Newsletter, September 2022

We would decorate the old Cafeteria for students. There were also Christmas
skating parties for the college community and their families.

Nick Marsden would often drive the college bus to Uplands gates where a group
of us would jog. That started my life-long love for jogging and walking.

The Health & Human Services

Division was formed in 1979. I
was able to help administrative
secretary Barb Boyd with some of
the support for the planning of the
new Fisher building. I really
enjoyed that work. I watched the
building progress and was there
when the roof caught fire! I also
remember, during that time, the
hiring of the Chairperson for the
new Nursing program - Thelma
Brown. I immediately liked her!
The HHS division had an opening
for an Administrative Secretary
and I was ready for a new
challenge. I also wanted to be
part of the formation of this new
Thelma Brown (later, Midori) in early 1980s
division. I was successful in my
application and was immediately

involved in the plans for the new Nursing

program. Dr. Neil Murphy was hired as the
second Director of HHS and we moved into
the little “Yellow House” on Argyle Street.
Next door to us was the “White House” which
housed the Human Services Chairperson,
Wilna Thomas and later Arnie Campbell, along
with the Coordinator of Human Development,
Larry Dettweiler, faculty and their secretary.

In 1981 I left Camosun. When my son,

Robert, was born I decided to take a year off
and stay home to be a Mom. I kept in touch
with colleagues from Camosun and, through
them, I found out that my old job had been
posted. I realized I missed the connection Dr. Neil Murphy in the early 1980s
 Excerpted from CCARE Newsletter, September 2022

The HHS Administrative Core Group in the 1980s

Cheryle Paquette, Maureen Drever, Maureen Creed, Marion Christie

with the students and community of Camosun. I was so happy when I was
rehired in 1984. It felt like going home.

The HHS admin. office was in the basement of the Fisher building. While I had
been gone, new staff positions had been added to support the expanding
division. Avril Peters was inputting course material using a MICOM word
processor and I hired Marion Christie to help. Maureen Drever was hired shortly
after along with Maureen Creed.

I was able to place my son in the Lansdowne Day Care just before he turned 3.
He spent fun filled days on campus and I was lucky to occasionally be able to
spend lunch hours with him. He would also ride his tricycle by our basement
office window and we attended many fun college parties for families (years later I
would bring his son, Tyler, to the campus). I became involved with the Day Care
Board and continued for many years.

The years were busy with advisory committee meetings, community focus
groups, health licensing bodies all wanting new training programs. Thelma
became the first Assistant Director of HHS. The Dental Assisting program moved
 Excerpted from CCARE Newsletter, September 2022

from the Times Colonist building to the Fisher Building. Junction Campus was
home to the Long Term Care, Homemaker and Activity Aide programs. The
Dental Hygiene program was launched and Dr. Neil Murphy began lobbying for a
new building. It seemed all the meetings I was attending were discussing new
programs and buildings! I was lucky to be involved with all the expansions and
met many wonderful people in the community and other educational facilities on
Vancouver Island.

The Lansdowne Campus grew. The Dental Building was built followed by the
Wilna Thomas Building. It was sad when the White House was demolished since
it had been a cozy gathering place for Christmas parties and celebrations with its
fireplace and kitchen.

One of my fondest memories of

that time was the spring our
office staff temporarily moved
into the nursing lab before
renovations were completed for
our new office space on the
Fisher 3rd floor. The time spent
in the lab was the beginning of
friendships and a support staff
team that would work and grow
together – Marion Christie,
Maureen Creed, Angela
Dawson, Maureen Drever,
myself and Avril Peters. The
workload was ever increasing
as we transitioned from our
MICOM word processing to the
new college computer system.
HHS Admin. Staff in the 1990s Each member of that team
L to R: Cheryle Paquette, Angela Dawson, Marion Christie, continued in our school until
Laurie Anderssen, Maureen Creed, Trudy Baird.
Seated: Heather Bos
their retirement. They became
departmental secretaries, then
program assistants, and
Maureen Creed took on more responsibilities as the first Operations Assistant
and then Administrative Officer.

Thelma became Dean after Neil was hired as President of North Island College.
I loved working with Thelma. We painted our nails together when we prepared
budgets! I worked with her through reorganization, budget cuts, new program
proposals, international partnership development and field schools, CE
 Excerpted from CCARE Newsletter, September 2022

decentralization, First Nations programs

and much more. I learned so much! She
encouraged our support team to play
together as well as work together. I know
we made her proud! We were invited on
some faculty and admin. retreats. They
were incredible times including a retreat to
Saltspring and another to Gabriola Island
with Angela Henry driving the College van.
We helped plan College and School
Welcome Back events, retreats, teas,
Halloween and Christmas gatherings,
luncheons – bringing faculty, students and
staff together.

When the Associate Dean position returned

Thelma (Brown) Midori and Barbara Herringer
during the reorganization process, Barbara following thelma’s retirement
Herringer was hired by Thelma. Barbara
became another person I loved working
with. Thelma and Barbara were an amazing team. After 14 years as Dean,
Thelma retired in 2007 and Barbara became the third Dean of HHS. It was an
emotional retirement celebration but I knew Barbara was the right person to
replace Thelma. Barbara continued with more program expansions and
international connections. Planning for a new building for HHS began in earnest.
I always seemed to be involved in budget costing for additional offerings for
courses or
programs.

Our support
team grew as
new programs
were added,
student
numbers
increased and
workload
changed
incorporating
new technology
and tasks. We
met regularly
developing
processes and
The A Team
Top row L to R: Angela Dawson, Marion Christie, Susan Rudiger, Heather Bos
Botton row L to R: Cheryle Paquette, Sandra Tennant, Maureen Drever,
Wendy McDonald, Maureen Creed, Dawna Hurst
 Excerpted from CCARE Newsletter, September 2022

planning events. We named ourselves “The A Team” and frequently met for
dinners and get togethers.

The next years under Barbara’s leadership I was involved in support of Debbie
Sargent’s selection as Associate Dean, the business case for the new building, a
school review, more First Nations programs, exploration of interprofessional
education and planning for a new Medical Radiography program which
commenced in September, 2012. I found that program development very
interesting with the involvement of VIHA.

For me the graduation ceremonies

were especially wonderful. I
volunteered in marshalling where I
could see how much graduation
meant to the students and their
families.

Left: HHS Administrative Team, 2014

Upper row: L to R Cheryle Paquette, Maureen
Drever
Lower row: L to R Maureen Creed, Angela
Dawson, Marion Christie

Below: L to R Marion Christie, Angela Dawson,

Cheryle Paquette, Maureen Drever

Maureen Creed and Marion

Christie retired in December,
2009 but their shoes were filled
by two very qualified women –
Debbie Henson and Dawna
Hurst. Maureen Drever was the
next of our original team to retire
in October, 2011 and I began
thinking about retirement for
myself. When Barbara
announced her retirement to
take place in December, 2012, I
followed – the timing seemed
right.
 Excerpted from CCARE Newsletter, September 2022

Attending the Celebration of Thelma this

May and touring the new HHS Building for
the first time was amazing and emotional.
The building is exactly how I envisioned it
would be with wonderful places for
students to learn and study – the open
spaces and atrium are incredible. It was
wonderful to connect with Thelma’s family
and so many former colleagues. I think of
Thelma often when I am in my garden
and see butterflies – so many wonderful
memories.

Left: Thelma Midori’s sister and grandson

examine the plaque dedicated to Thelma
which resides in the atrium of the new
Health and Wellness building

Through all the years I kept physically active – early morning before work deep
water aquafit, lunch hour or after work gym classes, walks, Times Colonist 10K
runs with members of our team (later I would run with Tyler). Life after Camosun
still includes the close friendships that began in my work life.

Retirement is wonderful. Nine years has passed so quickly. I am glad I retired

when I did and had time before COVID to spend with friends and family
(especially my parents in Sidney and my husband’s dad who was in care).

My son, Robert, married his wife, Ashly, in a lovely family wedding at Mt.
Washington in 2017. This year we welcomed our 6th grandchild, Harper, a sister
for Beckham who is 3; Aubrey who is 5; and Tyler who is now 19. We travelled to
see the Seattle Seahawks for Tyler’s 16th birthday in 2019 before COVID. I was
so lucky to be the only person, besides his parents, able to see him graduate
high school in an empty auditorium during COVID. Our other two grandchildren
are Austin who is also 19 and his sister Brooklyn who is 17. They live in
Penticton with my step-daughter Dawn and her husband Leigh.

My husband, Dwayne, and I were able to do some travelling before COVID,

thank goodness. We have both always enjoyed travel. I also discovered that I
like chickens and originally raised five of them. I plan on starting a new brood
 Excerpted from CCARE Newsletter, September 2022

next spring as I recently lost my

favourite, Gertrude. I also love
gardening and now Aubrey and
Beckham are replacing Tyler as
my helpers – learning about
butterflies, birds and vegetables.

Right: Photo taken in 2021

L to R: Beckham (2 years old), Cheryle,
Aubrey (3 years old) and Cheryle’s
husband, Dwayne

Photo below taken in August, 2022

Cheryle with new granddaughter,
Harper Isla aged 2 months.

Below:
Cheryle at her grandson Tyler’s graduation with
son, Rob and Rob’s wife, Ashly

My life is full of so many

special friends and
wonderful family. I want
to thank all the amazing
people that I worked
and played with at
Camosun along my
journey. There are too
many to name – I have
been so blessed!