The University of St. Michael’s College is pleased to welcome three new members to the Collegium, the principal of the two bodies governing the university’s affairs.
Luigi Ferrara has accepted a three-year position as an external, at-large member. Ferrara has held various roles, including practising architect, designer and urbanist with various firms, including his own practice, Conifer, and executive VP and CEO respectively of the Design Exchange and the DXnet, Canada’s Centre for Design and Innovation. He also served as Dean of the Centre for Arts, Design and Information Technology at George Brown College, where he led program development, partnerships and innovation institutes that provide students with challenging and real-world learning opportunities.
“I am honoured and excited to contribute as a member of the Collegium of St. Michael’s at the University of Toronto,” he says. “I look forward to bringing my design and system thinking skills, my professional knowledge as an architect, urbanist and designer and my extensive experience in post secondary education at the local and international level to support the deliberations at the Board.”
Third-year student Matthew Seppanen will serve a one-year term in the undergraduate non-voting position on the board. Nominated by St. Michael’s College Student Union, Seppanen is working on a double major in Political Science and Criminology. Active in student affairs, he is an infantry soldier in the Canadian Armed Forces Primary Army Reserve.
“I look forward to representing student voices as well as working to maintain St. Mike’s unique identity,” Seppanen says.
Doctoral student Christine Way Skinner will also serve a one-year term as the graduate student appointment nominated by the Student Life Committee at the Regis St. Michael’s Faculty of Theology. Way Skinner, who is specializing in ecclesiology, has worked in parish ministry for more than 30 years, and holds a BA in theology from St. Francis Xavier University and a Master of Divinity degree from Harvard Divinity School.
“Wise discernment and guardianship of the common good of a community are among my most dearly held values,” Way Skinner says. “These being central to the work of Collegium, I am honoured and pleased to serve as its student representative.”
The three new Collegium members will start their terms at the First Regular Meeting of the Collegium on October 8, 2025.
“We are indeed fortunate to have three such strong candidates joining us,” says Susan Helstab, who serves as Chair of the Collegium. “Matthew and Christine bring the voices of undergraduate and graduate students, a community with a deep commitment to, and interest in, the health and impact of St. Michael’s. In turn, Luigi brings years of professional wisdom, including experience in the academic world and student experience. We are delighted to be able to call on their insights.”
Adds President Sylvester: “Collegium is an integral part of the University of St. Michael’s College. Its members play a vital role in safeguarding and sustaining the wellbeing of St. Michael’s while also ensuring the university operates in accordance with the best academic practices and the governing law. We are grateful to Luigi, Matthew and Christine for their service.”