Andrew Soles Scholarship
Andrew E. Soles was born, raised and educated in the rural East Kootenay region of British Columbia. He received his post-secondary educational Victoria College and the University of British Columbia where he majored in English, History and Psychology. Developing a life-long love of education, he began a teaching career, but was soon selected to take on heavy administrative responsibilities.
Andy met his wife "Tiny" in England where Tiny was serving with the Women's Auxiliary Air Force and Andy with the Royal Canadian Air Force. Throughout their more than 40 years of marriage, Tiny has been a constant source of encouragement and support to Andy's career while at the same time raising their three children and pursuing volunteer community work. Tiny has added much to the communities in which she has lived, through her active interest in drama and the arts generally and her dedicated service as a volunteer.
During the 1960s, Andy was an influential and well-known educator in the Kootenays, first as the Principal of J. Lloyd Crowe High School in Trail and then as the Principal of Selkirk College. In 1970, he was appointed as the Superintendent of Post-Secondary Education for British Columbia and served in many senior positions for the provincial government during the next 15 years. During this time, he was directly responsible for the establishment of 12 additional regional colleges and the melding of the six vocational institutes into the present Community College system. These colleges and institutes continue to serve more than 50,000 people annually in British Columbia with academic, professional and vocational training, plus many thousands more in non-credit programs which enrich the lives of people throughout the province. British Columbia's Community College system is the most comprehensive system in Canada and the vision and administrative skill Dr. Soles provided was instrumental in making this development possible.
For the two years immediately prior to his retirement in 1985, Dr. Soles served as Deputy Minister of Universities, Science and Communications, in a time that coincided with the government's restraint program. During this most trying period for B.C.'s universities, Dr. Soles demonstrated warm understanding and constant advocacy that helped sustain the institutions, particularly the University of Victoria, through the worst of the difficulties. On May 30, 1986 Andrew Soles was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from the University of Victoria for his vision and leadership as a builder in education.
He passed away in 1997.