Greater Sudbury Northern Life Reporter Heidi Ulrichsen
Cambrian College's vice-president of student services and strategic initiatives was killed in a car crash near Cairo, Egypt yesterday morning.
Betty Freelandt, who had begun teaching in 1980 and has held her present position since 2002, was on vacation in Egypt. She was travelling in a van between Cairo and Alexandria with six other people when the accident occured.
Her husband, Bernie, was seriously injured in the crash, along with Freelandt's sister. The driver of the van was killed.
"It's a huge tragedy for the college, for her family, for all of us here who are her colleagues and friends and for the community. She just had such an incredible impact. She was a really caring person with a lot of enthusiasm and energy, and was a very dynamic leader," said Cambrian College president Sylvia Barnard.
"We are all missing her. We are just profoundly sad at this point."
Freelandt was heavily involved in the building of the $3.2 million student centre at the college, which opened in 2003.
She served for several years as the Ontario College Administrative Staff Association (OCASA) college representative from Cambrian, during which time she also served as treasurer for two years.
This year, OCASA presented Freelandt with the OCASA Doug Light Award for Administrative Excellence.
