As the Dhillon School of Business (DSB) continues to expand its innovative program delivery, Dr. Kerry Godfrey has been reappointed as dean for an additional five-year term. Godfrey will also assume an expanded role with the University of Lethbridge, taking on the responsibility of overseeing the University’s Calgary campus.
Godfrey, who came to ULethbridge in 2018, will begin his role with the Calgary Campus immediately, while his second term as dean of the Dhillon School of Business will begin July 1, 2023.
“Dr. Godfrey came to the Dhillon School at a very important time and with a vision to advance innovation and establish the school as a leader in the study and application of the digital economy,” says Dr. Erasmus Okine, provost and vice-president (academic). “During his tenure, the Dhillon School of Business has introduced a number of new programs designed to meet student and industry need, capitalizing on the talents of our outstanding faculty members. He has helped grow recognition of the Dhillon name and further establish the school as one that creates opportunity for students of all ages and at all stages of their professional careers.”
In Godfrey's first term, the team at the Dhillon School of Business introduced a variety of new programming including the graduate certificate and master’s in Health Services Management, a new minor in Fintech and Financial Innovation and numerous courses in finance and innovation, blockchain, and data analytics. In the fall of 2020, the Dhillon School was the first in the province to introduce a data analytics course recognized for entry into the CPA Professional Education Program, and in May 2021, the school introduced its DSB Edge student cohort for first-year management students.
“The Dhillon School of Business has responded to industry need by creating courses that meet the needs of professionals seeking to upgrade their skills or transition into the digital economy, all while maintaining its excellence as an educator of young students just beginning their journey,” adds Okine.
Godfrey has also continued the Dhillon School’s emphasis on advancing reconciliation efforts. Under his leadership, the school became the first in Canada to require all business students to take an Indigenous course as part of their degree, and recently, Dr. Leroy Little Bear was announced as a DSB adjunct professor and advisor.
Godfrey came to ULethbridge from the University of Guelph where he served as Associate Dean (Academic), and then Acting Dean of the College of Business and Economics. Previously, he was the Director of the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management.
Originally from British Columbia, he earned his Bachelor of Science from the University of Victoria, a Master of Science from the University of Surrey, UK and a PhD from the School of Planning, Oxford Brookes University, UK. He also obtained an Advanced Certificate in Educational Leadership and an MBA in Educational Management from the University of Leicester, UK.