There’s something in the air at Memorial’s Labrador Campus in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

Even though overnight temperatures in the winter can sometimes drop to –20 C, when you talk to the students, staff and faculty who call the place home, you’d swear it was the warmest place on earth.

While the campus is the result of Memorial’s long history in Labrador, over roughly the past decade there’s been an increasing sense of pride and purpose: an expansion in both programming and positivity.

It’s no accident that this rising sense of community and exuberance coincided with the leadership of Dr. Ashlee Cunsolo.

Dr. Cunsolo earned her bachelor of arts honours degree, master’s degree and PhD from the University of Guelph. She undertook postdoctoral research at McGill and then joined the faculty at Cape Breton University in 2013.

But then, in 2016, the compass pointed north, and she made the move to Memorial as director of what was then called the Labrador Institute.

It was Dr. Cunsolo who spearheaded the institute’s evolution into Memorial University's first full campus in Labrador.

In 2020, she became the inaugural dean of the newly established School of Arctic and Subarctic Studies. It was the first academic unit in Labrador and aimed to provide Northern-led and Northern-focused undergraduate, graduate and professional learning opportunities that reflected the unique needs and priorities of the region.

Dr. Cunsolo reached out. She built strong partnerships with Indigenous communities. She emphasized the need for Indigenization, decolonization and Northern sovereignty in research and education.

She played a pivotal role in establishing the Inuit Bachelor of Education Program and developing a master's in land-based education – programs firmly rooted in Indigenous knowledge and perspectives.

 

Ashlee Cunsolo during her final day at the Labrador Campus in 2024. Photo from Memorial University Archives.

 

She then led the creation of the Pye Centre for Northern Boreal Food Systems.

The Pye Centre is an 80-acre research and education farm that serves as a hub for a community focused on enhancing Northern food bases and expanding the agricultural industry in Labrador.

And while all of this was happening, Dr. Cunsolo continued her own research as a leading voice on the intersections of climate change, mental health and ecological grief. Her work has shed light on the intangible losses and damages caused by environmental changes, particularly in Indigenous communities.

In 2022, Dr. Cunsolo was appointed vice provost of the Labrador Campus and dean of the School of Arctic and Subarctic Studies.

Under her leadership, new programs were launched. A campus opened its arms to a community, and the community reached back.

But in 2024, Dr. Cunsolo accepted the position of provost and vice-president (academic) at Acadia University in Nova Scotia.

For such a close-knit community in Labrador, the moment was bittersweet. While students, staff and faculty could express their happiness for Dr. Cunsolo and her new adventure, they also knew they were losing the presence of a founder and friend.

Dr. Cunsolo's contributions have not only strengthened Memorial's presence in Labrador but have also set a precedent for inclusive, community-engaged education and research.

She left the Labrador Campus having provided it with enough kinetic energy to power it well into the future.

And although she’s missed, she’ll always be remembered and welcomed.