PORT HAWKESBURY, N.S. — The new principal of the Strait Area Campus brings an extensive background in the marine industry as well as post-secondary experience to his new post.
The Nova Scotia Community College recently named Vivek Saxena as the new principal at the Port Hawkesbury campus.
Saxena replaces Tom Gunn, who left the position earlier this year to become NSCC’s dean of the school of trades and technology.
“My priorities will be to connect with our community partners, our industry partners,” he said. “I personally see our Mi’kmaq people, our Mi’kmaq partners are going to be my key priority so I will be talking to all of our Mi’kmaq leaders to see what their needs are,” Saxena said.
He also intends to speak with others to see how the campus can support the community.
“The NSCC plays a big role in the economic development of the community, that will be my focus,” Saxena said.
He also intends to work with other local post-secondary institutions such as Cape Breton University.
Since 2013, Saxena had served as academic chair of the campus’ Nautical Institute.
Originally from India, he worked in the marine industry for 22 years, where he was a sailing captain working on vessels including cargo ships.
Saxena moved to Canada in 2008, working in various locations. First, he worked for BC Ferries, then an opportunity opened at Memorial University’s Marine Institute, where he remained from 2009-13.
"My priorities will be to connect with our community partners, our industry partners." — Vivek Saxena
He said he wants to continue to build on work that Gunn did to strengthen ties with the community.
It’s a busy time for the campus.
Construction is continuing on a long-awaited residence on the property to address a long-identified need for housing.
“We are so proud of our campus, the Nautical Institute and the programming that we have on our campus, we are definitely a destination campus and it brings in people not only from across Canada but across the globe,” Saxena said. “The residence will definitely help us support the students who are coming from all parts of the country and all parts of the world.”
The campus is also working with the Town of Port Hawkesbury to look at setting up a marine innovation centre along its waterfront, based out of its Creamery building.
The Town of Port Hawkesbury, the NSCC’s Nautical Institute and the Cape Breton Partnership earlier this year issued a tender looking for a consultant to conduct a feasibility study of a marine innovation hub for the Strait area based out of the Port Hawkesbury waterfront buildings.
There is currently some construction taking place at the Creamery building to allow for space that can be used for instruction by the Nautical Institute, which would help to anchor an innovation centre in the building.
“We are going to have a space to do our training out of that space, it will be a collaborative space where we can bring companies and industry partners from the ocean sector,” Saxena said.
Saxena lives in Antigonish with his wife, who is a nurse at St. Martha’s Regional Hospital. They have two sons.
