Answering the Call to Equip African Leaders: Transition in Student Life Leadership

As a Global Christian University, Trinity Western has a unique place in the hearts and minds of those who care deeply about the flourishing of God’s work throughout the globe. Carrying out this work requires gifted leaders capable of investing in students' lives by modeling what it means to be open and obedient to God's call upon our lives.  

Over the past four years, Trinity Western has been blessed to have Richard Taylor serve as Vice President of Student Life. It has been a joy to see the many ways he has invested in students' lives, encouraging and helping them gain the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to make a positive impact upon the cultures and organizations they are called to serve. This makes it all the more difficult for us to announce that Richard Taylor will be stepping away from his position as Vice President of Student Life at the end of this academic year to become Executive Director of Kurumbuka Leadership Solutions.  

Richard came to TWU with significant experience in team-building and project advancement, having served as the Co-founder, Executive Director, and Rwandan Country Director for The Wellspring Foundation for Education for over 15 years. As VP of Student Life, Richard was tasked with building up the leadership and global outreach teams at the University and sought to provide more significant opportunities for student involvement.  

Looking back over his tenure, Richard remarks, “I have had the opportunity to work together with inspiring colleagues and pursue important changes within the University and Student Life, even while navigating two challenging years of a global pandemic together.”   

Highlights of Richard’s time at TWU include forming the Global Engagement Office, expanding Student Life Richmond, and intentionally building a more diverse team of staff and student leaders. Despite many positive accomplishments over the past four years, Richard feels that the time is right to return to his life-long calling in international development.  

Reflecting upon this significant transition, Richard notes: “I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve as the Vice President of Student Life at Trinity Western over the past four years. Though difficult to leave TWU, my wife Ericka and I feel compelled to step out in faith and follow God’s unique call on our lives. I will continue to support TWU in every way I can, and I have every confidence that God will continue to sustain his vision and mission here for years to come.”   

Trinity Western has a leadership transition plan in progress to ensure that current and incoming students continue to receive a high level of personal support and care while at TWU. As soon as we are able to communicate the next phase of the leadership transition for Student Life, we will update the community. In the meantime, we invite you to uphold our students and the entire Student Life team in your prayers as everyone strives towards excellence this semester.  

We remain ever-grateful for Richard Taylor’s leadership at Trinity Western University while celebrating his commitment to lead Kurumbuka Leadership Solutions in its effort to develop and empower 10,000 African leaders by 2030.  


About Trinity Western University

Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is Canada’s premier Christian liberal arts university dedicated to equipping students to establish meaningful connections between career, life, and the needs of the world. It is a fully accredited research institution offering liberal arts and sciences, as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has four campuses: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, and Ottawa. TWU emphasizes academic excellence, research, and student engagement in a vital faith community committed to forming leaders to have a transformational impact on culture. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn.

For media inquiries, please contact: media@twu.ca.