Time to say goodbye

After 33 years of challenges, successes, and personal growth, Spring Forsberg-Lewis is ready to call it a career.

Currently working as the Academic Advisor and Petition Coordinator in FAS, Forsberg-Lewis came to Kingston in 1990 from Calgary and joined Queen’s University as a secretary for the Queen’s Challenge Campaign, a fundraising endeavor run by what is now Advancement. After working in recruitment, Spring accepted a position in FAS.  

During her career, her portfolio included advising as well as course planning for Part Time Studies, Orientation, coordinating the Peer Advising program, and participating in special projects including the implementation of the Academic Advisor Reports in SOLUS.

She is currently a member of the team that is responsible for the coordination of all student petitions to the Associate Dean (Academic) and acts on behalf of the Associate Dean (Academic) to assess petitions and notify students of the decisions. She also provides academic advising for undergraduate students on all Faculty programs, regulations, and policies, and participates as a member of the advising team of the Student Services division of FAS.

“I love helping people and I really have enjoyed seeing students progress through their degree requirements. It’s been very fulfilling. Each student that comes into my office is a new opportunity and I have enjoyed my connections with them.”

She also reflects on the positive experiences provided by her ten years as the Staff Association president.

“Things I couldn’t get from my day-to-day responsibilities, I got from that including developing leadership skills, interacting with university administration, public speaking and acquiring negotiating skills,” Forsberg-Lewis says. “It was an excellent complement to my job.”

As for challenges, Forsberg-Lewis says it can be difficult to help students who may be looking for immediate results or if the challenge they present is not something that she can fix.

“Years ago, we might have presented the student with options to consider – now many want us to find solutions for them, and that can be challenging especially when I do really want to fix the problem for them.”

She adds the FAS Office has been an excellent department to work for.  “As a team we identify what the challenges are that we are facing and work together to find solutions.  Management never made me feel like I work for them - they made me feel like I’m part of the team. I know I'm lucky to have had that support and am very grateful.”

As for retirement, she’s going to miss her colleagues but she’s looking forward to spending more time with her grown children and grandchildren, she has five of them, and more time travelling. That said, she notes some people count the days until retirement while she has no idea how many.

“It’s different when you love what you do. I love the people I work with; they are more than colleagues, they are my friends.”