Jennie Atkins has taken up an appointment as executive director of Continuing Education, the Office of the Provost has announced.

Atkins took the lead of the university’s venture into continuing education in an acting capacity last year after overseeing the reorganization and restructuring of the Centre for Executive and Professional Education (CEPE).

Throughout her 15 years with the university, Atkins, a proud alumna (BA 1999, MA 2001, MBA 2003), has been a strategic leader in the transition and growth of various campus departments. As director of the Academic Writing Centre, she spearheaded its evolution into the Centre for English Language Development (CELD) and contributed immeasurably to the exponential increase of enrolment in the University’s pathway program in English as a second language. From there, Atkins assumed a role in international development and recruitment leading to significant increases in international enrollment and institutional partnerships.

Atkins will continue to capitalize on her experience at the helm of Continuing Education by building partnerships with industry leaders and faculty experts to develop an array of personal interest workshops, certificates and professional certification programs, as well as skill-building courses presented in a variety of formats — online, in-class, in the evenings, and on weekends.

With CELD falling under the Continuing Education purview, plans for further international programming are also underway.

“Over the last 10 months, our team has been busy developing a solid portfolio of offerings and implementing the necessary infrastructure to support it,” Atkins says. “The recent launch of a new online enrolment management system was crucial as we begin to roll out offerings to the public.”

This Fall kick-starts the launch of certifications such as Project Management and Siemens Mechatronics Systems Certification Program, as well as an Introduction to Acrylics offered at the School of Creative Arts. Continuing Education is also working on a corporate training portfolio for both small and large businesses.

Visit continue.uwindsor.ca to learn more about upcoming offerings.