Note: The Brock Employee Feature is a Q&A-style series that aims to highlight those who contribute to the University’s positive working environment and make a difference in the campus community. The full series is available on The Brock News. Employees interested in being featured are asked to fill out an online form.

Brad Sutherland enjoys helping people. As Student Information and Service Advisor with Brock Central, Sutherland strives to enhance and facilitate student success each day when answering questions from students, faculty and staff.

Share your Brock career story

I have worked at Brock for a little over nine years.

My first role was as a Facilities Assistant in Housing Services. I was in the role for seven years before moving over to Brock Central where I have been ever since.

Brock Central is the face of the Office of the Registrar, and we are responsible for responding to a wide range of inquiries from students, faculty and staff.

On any day, I may provide information about registration, scheduling and course offerings, examinations, final grades, graduation and more.

Some questions are very specific, such as a student wanting to know about a financial item on their account or needing help with a form request.

Basically, anything students come to ask us, we’re here to help.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

My role involves answering questions and educating anyone who comes through the door.

The most rewarding aspect of my job is the help and assistance I give students daily.

When I can put a student’s mind at ease about their OSAP coming in or share information about when they can drop a class without financial penalties, that really helps students.

Their relief or thanks is very rewarding.

Are you a Brock graduate?

I started my time at Brock as a mature student in 2006. After two years, I left and went to Niagara College.

In 2019, I re-started the road to finishing my degree and am currently in the third year of my labour studies degree.

Student Information and Service Advisor Brad Sutherland (second from right) enjoys hiking and spending family time with his wife Carly (left), daughter Ellia and son Logan at Happy Rolph’s Animal Farm.

What do you like about working at Brock?

The Brock Central team, and the whole Office of the Registrar and Enrolment Services, is full of special people and they make it seem a little less like work.

We all know we can count on each other daily.

The atmosphere created by our team, from the director down, has had such a positive impact on all of us. We genuinely all enjoy working with each other.

Are you involved in any initiatives at Brock outside of your role?

I am part of the OSSTF table team for this round of collective bargaining.

I also have a plot in the community garden that I have been growing vegetables in for several years. Back in 2019, it even had a Killdeer nesting in it.

What was your first job ever?

Way back in 1996, at age 16, I worked at KFC.

What do you do for fun? What are your interests and hobbies? 

I have a young family, and nothing beats spending time with my two beautiful children. I especially enjoy coaching them or just playing.

Outside of that, I enjoy hiking, fishing, golf, soccer and the guitar.

Although there is not much time for the hobbies currently, I hope that will improve once the kids get older.

Where is your favourite place to visit or spend time in Niagara? 

There are a few places in Niagara that I love, like taking the kids to Dufferin Islands or Happy Rolph’s Animal Farm.

The Niagara Glen is my favourite place to go to hike or just relax.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

The only ones who will remember how much overtime you worked is your family.

What is a fact most people would be surprised to learn about you? 

I am a certified scuba diver.