A message from Associate Deans, School of Business and Management , Lisa Mendez and April Tyrrell:
It is with bittersweet emotions that the School of Business and Management announce the retirement of Shelley Merlo. Shelley joined Niagara College in August 2007 in Hospitality & Tourism as the Coordinator of the Event Management Graduate Certificate Program.
She played a key role in fostering community relations (after David Veres), for the Many Hands Project and the numerous community and student fundraising events that were held during her tenure.
She was the faculty lead on two of Niagara College’s committee events: 2009 Association Canadian Community Colleges and Prince Charles’ visit to open the Wine Visitor +Education Centre, both held at the Daniel J. Patterson campus in Niagara on the Lake. Event Management program students were actively involved in both events with hands on experience.
In 2014-2015, Shelley took a PD leave to work on the 2015 Pan Am Games, in the Hamilton office as Cultural Program Coordinator. She worked with a team to plan, organize, and implement two weeks of cultural festivals and events that aligned with soccer events that were held in Hamilton. She hired Event and Sport Management graduates and secured placement students, that provided them with hands-on experience.
Upon return from the Pan Am Games, Shelley’s faculty role moved into the Sport Management Program, where she brought her community contacts from her professional development leave into the classroom. This provided students with the opportunity to network with industry experts who shared real world examples of the sport industry.
In 2021-2022, Shelley was seconded part time to the 2022 Canada Summer Games as Events Liaison in the marketing division of the games, where she worked alongside both Sport and Event Management students in placements and contract positions.
Over the years, Shelley has been a strong advocate for our students and an instructor for many experiential learning opportunities in both internal and external settings. Shelley has valued the opportunity to instruct students, share her industry experiences, and watch students grow. We will deeply miss Shelley and her positive and energetic nature but want to wish her a happy and healthy retirement!
Retirement celebration on June 22
If you would like to join us and share your well wishes for Barb Smith, Rob Shepherd and and Shelley Merlo as they begin this exciting journey please feel free to meet us at Cat’s Kitchen and Bar in Niagara Falls (6788 Thorold Stone Rd.) on June 22, from 4-6 p.m.
