Cindy MacPherson
In her more than twenty years at the School as an administrative assistant, Cindy has worked with many Shawnigan staff members and students. She has been working exclusively in the Academic Office since 1995 and knows everything about time-tabling, transcripts, exam scheduling and course changes. Students first see teachers and advisors about their schedules, but it is up to Cindy to make those changes work on paper. Beth Hall recently made the following observation: “Cindy holds the key to the whole academic engine at Shawnigan. Some of us can be absent for a day or two without anyone really missing us, but when Cindy is away, the machine grinds to a stop.” Cindy makes sure all the t’s are crossed and i’s dotted when it comes to sending in University applications and registering students for specific exams and avoiding exam conflicts.
Her job is a challenging one and always changing with new rules and regulations coming down from the Ministry of Education. She likes the challenge though, and thrives on the busyness of the Academic Office. Stewart Candelaria says, “She is organized and able to complete more tasks in a given period than almost anyone I have ever worked with. I believe that she cares deeply about doing the right thing and doing things to the best of her ability.” Wendy Woollven, Registrar at Shawnigan echoes Stewart’s assessment: “It is Cindy’s approach to her job that makes her so valuable in the Academic Office. If you want a task completed efficiently and meticulously, Cindy is the one to take it on.”
“The thing about Shawnigan that impresses me the most is the opportunities the students can tap into here, and the consequential opportunities and connections students run into after graduation,” Cindy says. Her stepson, Dieter ’02 (Duxbury), received many of those benefits from his Shawnigan education. Cindy also has personally taken advantage of opportunities here, being part of a fine arts stained glass class, using the weight room, and taking out books from the library. “I have a box of books on the go right now and shuttle books back and forth all the time.” An avid reader, Cindy is also learning to knit and weave and is a talented gardener. Since their children (Dieter, Tyler, and Brenna) are grown, Cindy and her “best friend,” husband Ian, can enjoy much of the Island’s warm weather traveling.