Shaped by Potential: Dr. Jason Dewling’s Journey to CapU
Published13 April, 2026
Photo credit Patrick Leung
Recognized for leadership in innovative learning and institution-wide transformation, CapU’s eighth president and vice-chancellor began his five-year term on March 2, 2026.
When Dr. Jason Dewling talks about his path to joining Capilano University, he’s the first to point out that it was anything but linear.
“I’ve gone all in on everything I’ve done,” he says. “But nothing in my life unfolded in a straight line.”
Introducing Dr. Jason Dewling
Where it all began
That mindset began in a modest home in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, where Dewling grew up with three siblings, four university boarders and parents who modelled integrity and consistency.
In a province where unemployment often hovered around 20 to 25 per cent, work was never taken for granted. “If you got a job, you were grateful,” he recalls. That sense of gratitude shapes his leadership today.
His early life taught him to work hard, compete kindly and see the value in every person. The youngest of three boys, with a younger sister, he developed a fierce work ethic early on—one he carried into his career in post-secondary education, a career that itself unfolded in unexpected ways.
From mentee to industry leader
Along the way, mentors played a pivotal role.
One, Dr. Tom Thompson, then-president of Olds College, encouraged him into senior leadership before he felt ready. “He cultivated something in me that I didn’t even know existed,” Dewling says. “You can’t realize your potential without the context of other humans.”
Today, Dewling brings more than two decades of senior leadership experience across public and private post-secondary institutions to CapU as the institution’s eighth president. His work has spanned digital learning, strategic enrolment management, community partnerships and institution-wide transformation.
As vice-president, academic and research, at Olds College, he helped drive innovation and technology-enabled learning. As chief learning officer with LCI Education, he oversaw academic strategy across a global network of campuses.
He also held senior roles at Lakeland College and served in community governance, including as a municipal councillor. Dewling holds a PhD in Education from the University of Alberta, where his research focused on inclusion for individuals with disabilities.
An important cycling trip
Despite these accomplishments, it was a simple moment on a bike ride that connected him to CapU. Years ago, while looping through campus for the first time, he stopped in the lower parking lot, looked up at the Birch Building and said to his wife, “I’d love to be the president here someday.” It was an intention—one that later aligned with opportunity, values and timing.
Post-secondary education holds a deeply personal significance for Dewling. His wife also works in education (K-12), and together they’ve raised two daughters who both chose careers in nursing and are now pursuing graduate studies.
“Education has shaped every part of our family’s life,” he says. “It opens doors, expands thinking and creates possibilities that ripple across generations.” It’s one of the reasons he believes so strongly in the transformative power of institutions like CapU.
“The potential exists in all of us. My job is to help pull that out and maximize it for our future.”
A new era for CapU
Today, Dewling sees limitless potential at Capilano University—potential in its people, its programs and its impact across the Sea-to-Sky and North Shore regions.
As he begins his presidency, Dewling says he takes on the role with a deep sense of humility and gratitude, and a strong sense of stewardship. With CapU now in its 58th year, he emphasizes the importance of making decisions that support future generations.
He was drawn to the university’s Envisioning 2030 values, especially its emphasis on “sustainable actions to enable a better place for future descendants.” For him, it’s a reminder that CapU’s impact extends well beyond the present moment.
Looking ahead, Dewling is energized by the creativity, resilience and regional pride that shape the CapU community. And true to form, he’s ready to give it everything he has.
“I’m all in,” he says. “Capilano University is going to get the very best of me.”
