A legacy of collaboration: TRU and Maple Leaf
While Maple Leaf Educational Systems celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, it is also acknowledging its innovative international partnership with Thompson Rivers University (TRU) that has spanned almost the entirety of those three decades.
TRU Vice-President International Baihua Chadwick and President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Brett Fairbairn travelled to China to celebrate this milestone alongside Maple Leaf leadership, May 25 to May 29.
The collaboration between Maple Leaf and Thompson Rivers University (TRU) took a major step forward in 2015 with the launch of TRU’s Bachelor of Education in Secondary STEM program. Designed for both international and domestic learners, the program became a cornerstone of a model developed in partnership with Maple Leaf. This model enabled graduates from Maple Leaf’s B.C. offshore schools to first pursue TRU’s Bachelor of Science degrees, followed by an intensive 12-month Bachelor of Education (STEM).
Over time, the program supported more than 190 Maple Leaf graduates in earning their degrees at TRU, with many also obtaining B.C. teaching certification. Today, many of these graduates are teaching in B.C. or at B.C. Offshore Schools around the world, bringing valuable cross-cultural experience into their classrooms.
One such graduate is Mingze Xie, now a B.C.-certified teacher at Canada British Columbia International School in Chengdu, China.
“Mingze earned his bachelor’s degree from TRU and has become a prized part of our team,” said Principal Shaun Nish. “He understands our students’ challenges and supports them with real empathy. His success is certainly a result of his own efforts, but there’s no doubt the B.C. Offshore experience and TRU’s program played a role.”
This strong foundation in teacher education helped pave the way for a new kind of educational experience. In 2016, Maple Leaf University School–TRU opened on the TRU Kamloops campus, becoming one of the first Maple Leaf high schools located on a Canadian university campus. The school welcomed students from China and around the world in Grades 10 to 12, offering the B.C. Dogwood Diploma along with opportunities to take first-year TRU courses. This innovative model allowed students to build academic confidence, earn university credits and experience Canadian university life firsthand.
During its six years of operation, the school served around 260 students and created lasting connections among TRU, international learners and the Kamloops community.
“Our students weren’t just learning in the classroom, they were part of the campus and the city,” said Sandy Defieux, international student adviser and one of the school’s original staff members. “They volunteered, they competed, they explored. Kamloops became their home.”
Every graduate received university offers, with many accepted to top 100 global institutions such as Imperial College London and the University of Cambridge. About 15 students continued their studies at TRU, especially in science and computing programs. One student initially went to another Canadian university but returned to TRU, drawn back by their early experience on campus.
While the world has changed over the past three decades, the relationship between Maple Leaf and TRU has remained strong and continues to shape future generations of global learners and educators.
In recognition of the partnership with TRU, Maple Leaf founder and President Dr. Sherman Jen made a landmark personal donation of $5 million to the university in 2017. It was the largest one-time private gift in the university’s history at that time. The donation created eight scholarship endowments and funded vital research labs and equipment.
To date, 149 students across multiple faculties have received financial support through the scholarships. Jen’s gift also established two major learning facilities: the Dr. Sherman Jen High-Fidelity Simulation Centre in the Chappell Family Building for Nursing and Population Health, and the Dr. Sherman Jen Instrumentation Lab, which provides hands-on training for students and faculty in trades and technology.
This extraordinary contribution continues to create opportunities for students and researchers and stands as a lasting symbol of the deep and meaningful relationship between TRU and Maple Leaf.