Celebrating Dr. Mike Mahon
6th President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lethbridge.
As the sixth president and vice-chancellor, Dr. Mike Mahon has helped establish the University of Lethbridge as one of the country’s leading research-intensive universities.
Officially installed in 2010, Dr. Mahon led the development of Destination 2022, the University of Lethbridge Strategic Plan, charting an ambitious path forward. Much of the work centred around construction of what is now Science Commons. Opened in 2019, the building is widely recognized as Canada’s most advanced facility for science education and research and has transformed our campus and the southern Alberta landscape.
He has been instrumental in establishing successful partnerships to advance the reputation and reach of our university. The naming of the Dhillon School of Business and the partnership with the Mastercard Foundation are two significant examples, along with his commitment to enhancing the University’s relationship with Indigenous communities. An honorary member of the Kainai Chieftainship of the Blood Tribe in Southern Alberta, his Blackfoot name is Iipisowaahsiiyi (Morning Star).
In addition, Dr. Mahon has held several standing provincial and national commitments related to post-secondary education, including time spent as the Chair of the Council of Post-Secondary Presidents of Alberta and Chair of the Board of Directors for Universities Canada. He has served on a number of boards including Canadian University Sport (U SPORTS), Alberta Economic Development Authority, the Canadian Olympic Committee and the Coaching Association of Canada.
Fond Memories and Farewells
Thank you to everyone who shared messages of fond memories and farewells to outgoing President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Mike Mahon.
Community Event
Dr. Mike Mahon invites all faculty, staff and students to celebrate the work that has been accomplished together over the last 13 years.
Lethbridge
Thursday, May 11, 2023
3-5 p.m.
Students’ Union Ballrooms
The Journey is the Destination
As the turbo prop airplane descended towards the Lethbridge Regional Airport in the Fall of 2009, Dr. Mike Mahon was struck by the landscape unfolding beneath him — its unique contours and openness laid out in stark contrast to the urban centres of which he’d grown accustomed.
As first impressions go, this one would prove to last — perhaps because it foretold what was to come for Mahon, an opportunity he never knew existed until it was presented to him on a broad, beckoning canvas.
“I remember that first flight into Lethbridge to meet with the search committee and just seeing the landscape was so interesting for me,” says Mahon, the University of Lethbridge’s sixth president and vice-chancellor, as he reflects on a 13-year career in the role he will soon be concluding. “When the search consultants called to see if I’d be interested in exploring the presidency at the University of Lethbridge, it was honestly something I hadn’t thought of. After going through that first interview and the discussions we had, I got more and more excited about the potential of this place and the opportunity.”
Mahon Family Student Athlete Award
Proceeds from the dinner support the Mahon Family Student Athlete Award, which provides annual scholarships for Pronghorn student athletes. Each ticket includes a $100 charitable tax receipt.
For more information, please contact External Relations at development@uleth.ca or call 1-866-552-2582.