Arts retirees in 2021 - Dr. Jim Silver
Tue. Oct. 5, 2021
This year saw the retirement of four of our professors, all of whom are outstanding both in their respective fields and as teachers and mentors. Knowing they'll be greatly missed this fall, we asked some colleagues, friends, and former students to share some thoughts.
Today, we highlight one of these remarkable people, Dr. Jim Silver (UIC).
According to Dr. Shauna MacKinnon, Chair of the Department of Urban and Inner-City Studies, "Jim ‘walked the talk’ of community-engaged scholarship." (Photo supplied)
Dr. Jim Silver retired as Professor in the Department Urban and Inner-City and Professor Emeritus as of August 31, 2021. Here, Dr. Silver’s colleagues and a former student offer messages of gratitude to him for his commitment and vision. It’s a testament to these that Dr. Silver will teach sections of Introduction to Urban and Inner-City Studies to a new generation of students in the Fall and Winter terms of 2021-22.
Dr. Shauna MacKinnon, Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Urban and Inner-City Studies: “After spending several years in the Politics department, Jim Silver founded the Department of Urban and Inner-City Studies and was deeply committed to our place-based pedagogical approach to teaching in Winnipeg’s North End. Jim ‘walked the talk’ of community-engaged scholarship. He has published numerous books and reports on inner-city issues and has influenced hundreds of students in his 40 years at the University of Winnipeg. Most recently, Jim was instrumental to the development of Merchants Corner on Selkirk Avenue where the Department of Urban and Inner-City Studies is now permanently rooted and flourishing. Jim leaves the University of Winnipeg and the community this important legacy and will continue to inspire faculty and staff for many years to come.”
Aja/Miskwaa Gaagaagiway Ikwe, former student: “Since I’ve known Jim he has been a dedicated ally for Indigenous people as well as the North End community. I am grateful to have crossed paths with him. Meegwetch Jim for believing in me, as well as many others who you’ve walked with on this beautiful journey. You are appreciated.”
Dr. Chantal Fiola, Associate Professor, Department of Urban and Inner-City Studies and Distinguished Indigenous Scholar's Chair: “I am indebted to Dr. Jim Silver for championing for my hire into the department in 2016 to teach Indigenous-specific courses. Jim was always incredibly supportive of me as a Métis scholar; he helped me find a home in this department and to feel comfortable here. He was a tireless advocate for the inner-city community and for empowering its residents, especially Indigenous people, newcomers, and folks from a lower socio-economic bracket. He helped secure the funding needed to purchase and create Merchants Corner, which further nurtures an Indigenous education hub on Selkirk Avenue. Jim often used his capital as a settler who had climbed the academic ladder to make the university more accessible to folks for whom it may not have seemed like an option.”
Dr. Glenn Moulaison, Dean of Arts: "Dr. Silver was tireless in his advocacy for the presence of Inner-City Studies on Selkirk Avenue. It is a testimony to his work that the Department continues to flourish and that the new generation of scholars on Selkirk continue to advocate for the program."