Erin Kaipainen
Affiliations
Director, Student Success and Operations
Office of Signature Learning Experiences, Strategic Operations
Contact information
Phone number
Office: +1 (403) 220-7179
Background
Educational Background
Bachelor of Arts, Honours English Language & Literature, Brock University, 2002
Master of Arts Social Justice & Equity Studies, Brock University, 2006
Biography
Erin serves as the Director, Student Success & Operations in the Office of Signature Learning Experiences (OSLE) at University of Calgary. OSLE is a visible and accessible hub that connects students with transformative learning activities including work-integrated learning, undergraduate research, entrepreneurial thinking and global experiences.
Erin has spent her professional career supporting student engagement. She stewarded the development of UCalgary’s Experiential Learning Plan (2020-25), contributed to research on student barriers to EL, championed UCalgary’s WIL Initiative for Neurodivergent Students, and contributed to UCalgary’s decolonized experiential learning framework. Erin served on CEWIL Canada’s board of directors from 2019-2026 and currently serves on the advisory board for the At the Root Project. Her passion for this work grew out of her deep involvement in student life at Brock University, and the mentorship she received as a first-in-family student.
Projects
This flexible, early-degree work-integrated learning course for undergraduate students was codesigned between the Faculty of Arts, Student Services and the Office of Experiential Learning. UNIV304 can be taken by most undergraduate students as a way to sample WIL and integrate experience into their degree program. The course may be a stepping stone to more intensive forms of WIL such as coop or internship, may allow a graduating student to incorporate WIL before completing their degree, and may be paired with both paid or unpaid experiences.
Are you the profile owner?
Login to edit.