Rosemarie Nielsen, a longtime member of York International, passed away at the age of 89.
Nielsen joined York University’s Office of International Services – now York International – in 1969 for what was intended to be a two-week role. Instead, she stayed for 33 years.
She was initially hired to provide administrative support for what was known as the York-Kenya project, an early example of York expanding its global engagement in its formative years. Nielsen assisted in establishing the initiative, which partnered with the Government of Kenya to provide advanced training for prospective civil servants. The immediate impact she made was significant enough that she recalled the project’s leader, Professor Till Kuhn, telling her she was “too good to let leave.”
Over the next three decades, Nielsen became deeply invested in her eventual role as administrative officer. Much of her work was logistical, involving correspondence, report drafting, budgeting and organizing conferences, luncheons and dinners. But there was always a strong human element to her efforts; she became like family to many international students at York.
When she retired, she recalled inviting sick or lonely students to have meals at her home, organizing birthdays and driving new arrivals to buy groceries or open bank accounts. She was proud to have cooked and shared meals with visitors from Russia, India, China, Greece, Sweden, Italy, Kenya, Peru, Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina and beyond.
Nielsen also forged lasting connections with individuals and institutions abroad. Throughout her career, she participated in numerous international initiatives and partnerships that took her to more than 50 countries, helping to expand York’s reputation and global impact. After many trips to Kenya, she was adopted into the Kikuyu clan, an ethnic group native to central Kenya, and renamed Nyaguthii – meaning “the one who is always travelling.” By the time she retired in 2002, she had built relationships with hundreds of international researchers and faculty from universities across Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America.
Many of those relationships continued after her retirement, as she travelled to visit friends she had made through her work. She also remained closely connected to York, serving on the Cheddi Jagan Annual Lecture committee through York International and supporting the Centre for Research on Latin America and the Caribbean. She was an active member of York University’s Retirement Association, contributing to its newsletter and helping organize dining experiences and group trips.
At the time of her retirement, Nielsen said her time at York “was one of the best experiences of my life.” She had also shared how meaningful it had been to witness York’s growth from a young institution into one recognized internationally for its partnerships and diversity.
“It would not be too much to say that York is well known throughout the world as a serious institution dedicated to primary research and teaching. Our faculty – individually and collectively – has a reputation for overall excellence both in the field and at home,” she had said.
Nielsen is survived by her granddaughter, Melissa, and her daughter-in-law, Sylvia.