If you ask Shelby Verboven if she’s always imagined a career in the Office of the Registrar in post-secondary education, the Registrar and Assistant Dean of Strategic Enrolment Management at the University of Toronto (UofT), Scarborough will smile. That’s because much has changed since her childhood. In fact, as a child, Verboven had once dreamed of becoming an astronaut.
“I did once want to be an astronaut. I have always been inspired by space and very curious about anything to do with planets and stars and space travel. However, I discovered that I get motion sickness, so clearly, space travel was not going to be something in my future.” Verboven laughs, “That curiosity has carried over for a lot of things, but being in school and learning is where I’ve been happiest, and that made me then want to be a high school teacher. I went to school and trained to be a high school teacher, but my path took me in a different direction.”
That path led Verboven to work in post-secondary and higher education.
“I knew education would always be part of my life. I didn’t plan to be a registrar…I don’t think many people do, it’s not typically someone’s career plan, but it evolved over my career. I’m thrilled with my decision, I can’t imagine doing anything else. I love the work that I do with students every single day.”
As the Registrar and Assistant Dean of Strategic Enrolment Management at the University of Toronto, Scarborough, Verboven touches on all aspects of the student life cycle, always supporting and interacting with students from the very first point of contact through the admissions process, all the way through their student experience and, ultimately, to convocation.
“My whole career has been in higher education, supporting students and doing student admissions and recruitment work. It’s a great privilege to be able to speak to families and students about the promise of a university education.” Verboven says, “I believe in it deeply, I know firsthand the transformative outcomes that come from going to university. So, getting to talk to students about their aspirations and where they want to go and help them find that pathway. The pathways are not always linear, but helping students see what might be possible at university is a whole lot of fun.”
One thing that Verboven loves about being the Registrar and Assistant Dean of Strategic Enrolment Management is how her role is ever-changing and how no day is the same. While the academic year is similar — starting classes, exams, convocation — each day brings change, new students, challenges and problems to solve.
She also loves being able to change things within the education system, whether that’s policy, processes or changing environments, to be more equitable and support students on their way to success.
“Universities like the University of Toronto have long histories, and sometimes we need to change things to move forward, and I get to do that every day in my role at the University.” Verboven says.
In fact, Verboven considers one of the most powerful things about the University of Toronto, Scarborough Campus, is that while it is proud to be a prestigious university with a strong legacy, it also acknowledges the need to change and evolve. With that acknowledgement comes the desire to remain accessible and to welcome students from diverse backgrounds. So, the University has been committed to the development of new initiatives, practices and policies that enable them to do that.
“I’m very proud of how UofT Scarborough leads the way in many initiatives around inspiring inclusive excellence and thinking about the outcomes that we offer students.” Verboven says, “UofT Scarborough has been really focused on impact and ensuring that students can see that their university education brings value and that there is success after graduation.”
It’s clear that Verboven is no stranger to change and embraces it. From a dream of becoming an astronaut and aspirations of becoming a high school teacher to bumps and leaps to her current role at UofT, Verboven knows firsthand that embracing change means being open to new ideas, perspectives, opportunities and even disappointments to harness the potential for personal growth and development.
“There was once a role that I really wanted and competed for that I didn’t get and I was very disappointed.” Verboven explains, “It made me question my abilities, leadership and career path. But someone said to me, ‘What’s meant for you will come, and what doesn’t come wasn’t meant for you.’ That was really hard to hear in that moment, but it was true. Only a few months later, a much better opportunity came up, and I got it. It reminded me that sometimes you don’t get what you think you want because there’s something else for you. To this day, I always try to remember that.”
Verboven is proof positive that embracing change can lead to great success and new opportunities. In addition to her successful work in the Registrar, Verboven has been recognized by her peers with awards, including The Distinguished Service Excellence Award, University of Toronto Scarborough (2024), the Ontario University Registrars’ Association Award of Excellence (2021) and the Accomplished Service Excellence Award, University of Toronto Scarborough (2017). Verboven says that she’s honoured and grateful to have been recognized for such awards but views convocation as her greatest achievement.
“It’s not my achievement; it’s our students’ achievement, but I honestly feel that it’s the culmination of the work that I do, and when things are hard, it’s my reminder of why I do what I do.” she says, “Seeing those students walk across that stage, receive their parchments, the cheers, the clapping, the pride…sharing that with students twice a year, every year, is the greatest honour.”
Though Verboven is quite established and accomplished in her career, she’s always seeking additional opportunities to create positive change. That has led to her joining the Board of Directors at Trafalgar Castle School.
Inspired to get involved in her Whitby community, Verboven was drawn to Trafalgar Castle School’s commitment to providing students with opportunities to explore academics, athletics, initiatives and community within a safe, supportive environment that encourages them to be their true selves. Passionate about women in education, Trafalgar seemed a natural fit, and so Verboven joined the Board of Directors in 2024 to share her expertise, not just for the School but for its students as well. When asked for her biggest advice for students, Verboven had this to say:
“If you stay curious and study something that gets you excited, you’ll find a pathway to a career that’s the right fit for you. But you have to be open along the way. Sometimes, you think you want to do something, but that path doesn’t play out in the way that you thought. If you stay open to opportunities, to change, to trying something new, something so much better can come. Stay open, talk to people about their career paths and how they got to where they are, and I promise you, that career will come.”