The following notice was prepared by Detlev Zwick, interim dean, Schulich School of Business:
On Wednesday, Jan. 20, the Schulich School of Business suddenly and tragically lost a wonderful colleague and dedicated staff member. It is with great sadness that I inform you of the passing of our colleague and friend, Lidia Serras, assistant director of Graduate Recruitment and Admissions in the Student Services & International Relations unit.
Lidia represented Schulich with pride and professionalism at student recruitment events across Canada and around the world. In her role as assistant director, she oversaw recruitment and admissions for Schulich’s specialized master’s programs. She led a large team and inspired them to regularly exceed goals and targets while developing recruitment strategies for the launch of new programs.
A native of Portugal, Lidia held a master’s degree in international relations from the Technical University of Lisbon and a post-graduate diploma in business administration and management from Nova School of Business and Economics in Lisbon. Prior to joining Schulich as assistant director in August 2018, she had a rich and highly diverse career, living and working in three different continents at large global organizations such as Shell and KPMG, as well as international governmental organizations such as the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, where she was head of learning and development.
Known for her passion and integrity, Lidia was deeply loyal to her team members. She tackled her work with enthusiasm and tenacity and poured all of her heart into everything she undertook. Full of life, Lidia loved to travel and discover the world, and she valued spending time with her family above all else. Lidia will be greatly missed by the numerous faculty, staff, students and graduates whose lives she touched during her time at our school.
The school will host a virtual memorial service at a later date to bring together family, friends and colleagues to celebrate Lidia’s life and I will provide details once a date and time have been confirmed.
On behalf of the entire Schulich community, I extend our deepest sympathies to Lidia’s husband, Daniel, and their two children, Hanna, and Miguel, as well as her family and loved ones overseas.
To leave a message of condolence, visit https://schulich.yorku.ca/about/lidia-serras/.
Scholarship established in memory of Lidia Serras
In memory of Serras, the Schulich community will establish a new scholarship in her name, to be awarded annually to a full-time Schulich School of Business student, enrolled in a specialized master program, who demonstrates academic excellence and financial need. The recipient must be well-rounded and possess experience working with teams from diverse backgrounds. Applicants for the scholarship must also have experience working with international organizations. The scholarship will reflect the values most closely associated with Lidia, dedication and loyalty, as well as her rich and highly diverse career, having lived and worked in three different continents for large global corporations and government organizations.
For more information, visit schulich.yorku.ca/donors/ways-to-support/memorial-and-tribute-giving/#section-serras.