Douglas College awards Emeriti titles to two employees for 25+ years of exceptional service

The 2022 Douglas College Emeritus Awards are awarded to retired faculty member Cecil Klassen and retired administrator Dr. Guangwei Ouyang. The Emeritus designation recognizes the excellence and outstanding contributions of long-time employees to students, their profession and the College.  

Cecil Klassen receives the Faculty Emeritus Award for his dedication to teaching and to service excellence at Douglas.

“This award recognizes Cecil’s contributions to helping students achieve success in their programs, as well as his leadership in curricula development and service to the College community,” said Kathy Denton, President of Douglas College. “Cecil is known for his kindness and his generosity in sharing his wealth of knowledge and wisdom.”

Klassen spent 33 years at Douglas teaching English as an additional language. His knowledge of adult learning, language acquisition and communication has been an invaluable asset for the Douglas College Learning Centre, of which he is a founding member. He helped develop the tutor training curriculum and mentored hundreds of peer tutors during his career. Klassen is described by colleagues as an exceptional educator, supportive colleague and valued mentor. 

Guangwei Ouyang receives the Administrator Emeritus Award in recognition of his leadership and outstanding contribution to international education at Douglas College.  

“Guangwei was a visionary, setting trends and pushing boundaries in the field of international education,” said President Denton. “His tireless devotion to providing transformative experiences to new generations of students helps set Douglas students apart as global citizens.”

Ouyang started at Douglas as a faculty member 25 years ago, but his skills and talent lent themselves well to administration. As a former international student himself, he passionately set out to recreate transformational opportunities for international education at Douglas. Ouyang built a network of partnerships with post-secondary institutions around the world, recruited international students to study at Douglas, expanded study abroad programs for domestic students and developed international opportunities for faculty. Ouyang ultimately became Vice President, International Education and Strategic Partnerships.

With Cecil Klassen and Dr. Guangwei Ouyang, Douglas College has recognized 57 retirees with the Emeritus/Emerita designation since it was introduced in 2005.

Douglas College is the largest degree-granting college in B.C., combining the academic foundations of a university and the employer-ready skills of a college to graduate resilient global citizens who adapt, innovate and lead in a changing world.

For more information, visit douglascollege.ca.

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Contact   

Zach Siddiqui 
Communications Coordinator   
siddiquiz1@douglascollege.ca