At any university, learning happens in classrooms and lecture halls, but it also happens in quiet conversations, in offices that are always open and in programs that support students when they need it most.

At Memorial’s Grenfell Campus, no one has embodied that idea more than Mary Sparkes.

Through decades of dedication to student services and her role in establishing support structures like the Learning Centre, she has helped make Grenfell a place where students can thrive — not just academically, but personally.

Student Services, now known as Student Life, is often thought of as the backbone of campus. It’s the department that helps students navigate housing, counselling, health, accessibility, recreation and the transition into and out of university.

For many, it’s the first stop when challenges arise and the last place they leave when they graduate.

For years, Ms. Sparkes was at the heart of that system.

Born and raised in Corner Brook, she completed her bachelor’s degree at Mount Saint Vincent University and then accepted the position of student affairs officer when Grenfell Campus first opened its doors in 1975.

Two years later, she was promoted to co-ordinator of the student affairs office.

She brought both professional expertise and deep institutional loyalty to her work at Grenfell. And with that foundation, she poured her career into building a campus culture that valued care as much as achievement.

 

Mary Sparkes leads a holiday event at Grenfell Campus. Photo from Grenfell Campus Archives.

 

One of her most lasting contributions was her involvement in establishing the Learning Centre at Grenfell. The centre became a crucial resource for students needing academic support — whether through tutoring, writing help or study skills workshops.

More than just a space for problem-solving, it’s a place where students learn how to be learners.

Ms. Sparkes knew that university can be daunting, especially for first-year students or those far from home, and the Learning Centre helped level the playing field. By ensuring that students had the tools and supports they needed, she created pathways for success that extended well beyond individual courses.

She also played a key role in the social and cultural fabric of Grenfell. She helped plan events, organized orientation activities and supported countless student initiatives that made campus feel more like a community.

Whether students were facing academic stress, personal challenges or simply searching for belonging, she was a steady hand guiding them through.

Even after retirement, she remains a vital part of campus life through her work with the Memorial University of Newfoundland Pensioners’ Association (MUNPA). At MUNPA, she’s the driving force behind the organization’s annual contribution to the Grenfell Food Bank.

Her leadership there is an extension of the same philosophy that defined her career: people thrive when they are supported and connected.

It’s true that the relationship between faculty and students will always be at the centre of university life. But for that centre to hold, students need supports and structures of care and encouragement to succeed.

At Grenfell, Ms. Sparkes helped build those structures. She ensured the campus wasn’t simply a place to earn a degree: it became a place where people could grow, where they could stumble and be caught, where they could take risks and still feel supported.

Her work has left a legacy that is woven into the very identity of Grenfell Campus. The thriving Student Life division, the Learning Centre and the continued engagement of MUNPA are all part of the infrastructure she helped shape.

Ms. Sparkes’ contribution to Memorial is measured not just in programs established or committees served, but in the countless moments of encouragement she offered to students.

She showed what it means for a university to be more than an institution: to be a community that cares. In doing so, she helped shape Grenfell Campus into a place where education is not only about knowledge, but also about compassion, resilience and growth.