Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

As a passionate and loyal SFU alumnus, I am excited to serve on the Alumni Board of Directors to further contribute to my alma matter. I have a desire to remain connected with the school and to foster connections that will span alumni generations. Dr. Andrew Petter’s theme of creating an “engaged” university resonates with me and I believe that I have the passion and energy to implement ideas and initiatives that will encourage the development of this theme in the alumni setting. My professional experience as a Chartered Accountant at PwC, and my business background with my BBA from SFU have provided me a wealth of experiences that can be utilized effectively in order to connect with alumni and implement new initiatives. As a recent alumnus I have the benefit of new ideas, paired with the passion and motivation required to work with my colleagues to implement them.  I look forward to the exciting opportunities that lay ahead.

As a Management of Technology MBA student at SFU’s Beedie School of Business, I can truly attest to SFU’s unique, diverse and elite stature not only in Canada and North America, but on the world stage as well.  SFU has conquered the daunting unknown for hundreds of thousands of undergraduate students seeking to find their calling, as well as graduate students looking to transcend or rise above the plateaus faced in their careers. Participating in the Mentors-in-Business Program with SFU Alumni has been incredibly valuable to me personally and has made me realize how much the SFU Alumni are an integral part of the equation for student success.  As an SFU Alumni Association Board Member, I will help further develop ongoing relationships with existing and new SFU Alumni to ensure the lessons learned by alumni outside of the classroom are passed on to help current SFU students to learn and prepare for today’s workplace.

I had the pleasure of attending SFU in its early years. From that time to now SFU has grown to stake its claim as a premier university within BC, Canada and Internationally. My career has taken me throughout Canada, Bermuda, the USA and Europe. SFU helped give me the grounding and foundation that’s allowed me to grow and develop in business and I’d like to share that and give back to the University and students in any way I can. I recently became reacquainted with SFU through the Co-op student work program. What an uplifting and gratifying experience that was for me. I believe the strength of the Alumni Association is found in the depth and breadth of those who serve on it and the relationship it maintains with the students. Having the opportunity of working with other SFU grads to help make the experience students have with the university rewarding and memorable is compelling. Working people who are our future business, arts and political leaders is immeasurable.

To fulfill its mandate of becoming the world’s most engaged university SFU must engage alumni and the SFU Alumni Association Board of Directors provides a strong link to achieve that goal. The experience and connections which alumni have are valuable resources to the university and can help to improve the university as a whole. At the same time, SFU can provide its alumni with valuable resources for further education, on a formal or informal basis, and an avenue to maintain and develop valuable relationships. The Alumni Board of Directors must work to preserve and enhance this symbiotic relationship. I am very excited to join the Board and find new ways in which to advocate for alumni while also finding opportunities for alumni to give back.

As both a businessman and an academic, I appreciate the value that networking brings to any enterprise and the importance of reputation within those networks. I believe that my business experience and my scholarly passion combine the necessary elements for success within the Alumni Association environment as we strive to improve the quality of this great network.

My past three years on the Board have been immensely rewarding, discovering and fostering the powerful linkages between the institution and its growing alumni community. I have spent the past two years as the Association’s Vice President and in that Executive role have found opportunities to spread the Association’s message within the larger University body. Working diligently with the staff at our Alumni Office we have made great strides in broadening the range of offerings for our Alumni. Deepening our strong relationships with the highest levels of the Administration and Faculty is the next logical step as we work together to profile Simon Fraser as Canada’s premier student centered, research driven and community engaged university.

A lot has happened in the 27 years since I graduated, not only to the “little campus on Burnaby Mountain”, but to nearly every aspect of our world. One thing, though, has remained constant… the value that SFU holds in making a better community. The major by-product of this is the quality of graduates that SFU continues to produce. I see the Alumni Association as the “glue” that can bring together and utilize the combined benefits of our past, current and future generations of students. Since my graduation, I’ve been able to utilize my SFU experience to grow professionally, socially and as someone who has tried to make a difference. I want to bring the value of an SFU social sciences degree to the forefront of our Alumni Association and show that the business of “people” is more important than anything we do. Volunteer Experience: Burnaby Board of Education: school trustee and member/chair of various committees, Burnaby sports organizations: director/chair of various committees, Cdn/BC Criminal Justice Assn member, New West Historical Society member.

In selecting a university, we choose more than an academic institution – we are connecting with a network of people with whom we will go on to share a bond many years beyond the time we spent studying at campus. I selected SFU and the communications program to be a part of this community, and I am proud to be counted as an SFU alumna. I would like to return SFU’s gift of knowledge by contributing back to the network that sustained me during my studies and into the world of work by contributing back my energy and expertise in communications to the SFU Alumni Association. In my profession I have the opportunity to see how powerful bonds between people can sustain a strong and vibrant network, and how much more a healthy community can accomplish with the support and effort of its members. In applying to the SFU Alumni Board, I wish to share my communications experience, time and creativity to assist the Alumni Association to continue building, growing and sustaining lifelong alumni connections to our school, and a diverse and vibrant community through SFU.

I have accepted the task to increase alumni engagement, and will work to enable stronger communication tools for alumni to network, collaborate, and support each other in their professional and community pursuits.  It is vital that we enliven our alumni connections to benefit the communities in which we live, to assist the university achieve its vision, and to promote the strength of our brand.  We will work together to demonstrate the care we hold for our neighbourhoods and our world.  I urge you to work with the SFUAA by volunteering, contributing to University Advancement, and expanding your network with open opportunities for all our alumni.

When I chose to go to SFU years ago it was because of its reputation of being young, unique, a little edgy, and an institution that loved to challenge the status quo.  I was proud to be a graduate and prouder yet to let everyone know I graduated from Simon Fraser University.  Although it is no longer the young kid on the block all the other qualities remain, and I think that is what gives this institution its advantage.  SFU gave me the foundation that I needed to carve out a career, but it is the relationships and mentoring that I had along the way that has brought me to where I am.  I am looking forward to serving on the Alumni Board and supporting their goals to be “an engaging and mutually beneficial lifetime link between Simon Fraser University and its community of alumni.”

I strongly believe that a university education is the key to unlimited lifelong opportunities and accessible education is critical to the positive growth of society. I would like to have the opportunity to give back to the university that was so critical in enabling me to gain the experiences and skills I needed to accomplish the goals I have reached since graduating. Not only was SFU the university where I received a solid education, I also built a strong network of friends, met a number of my mentors, and felt a sense of pride and community. For three years, I lived, worked and volunteered on campus. To this day, I cherish my many memories at SFU. As an SFU Alumni Association Board member, I would like to share this enthusiasm with others, grow the sense of pride within my alma mater and develop and foster relationships to benefit the university. In my last two companies I’ve made the recommendation to hire SFU co-op students and both employers implemented this suggestion. As a board member, I plan to utilize my diverse marketing and public relations experience to expand the university’s reach with local and national employers and further enhance the university and its graduates’ reputation.

As a proud graduate of Simon Fraser University, I am eager to make a meaningful contribution to my alma mater and help fulfill SFU’s exciting new vision of being Canada’s leading engaged university. A critical component of this vision is active alumni engagement. This requires harnessing the rich diversity of our alumni, creating opportunities for them to make meaningful contributions to the university’s endeavours, and broadly engaging all levels of civil society in realizing SFU’s vision. As a member of the Alumni Association’s Board of Directors, I look forward to being an ambassador for SFU by drawing upon my experiences in community-building and outreach into diverse community and civil society organizations. I am also keen on bringing to the Alumni Board, my board and governance experiences as Board Member and Chair for Communications & Publications on the Aga Khan Council for British Columbia, as Vancouver Chair for the Institute for Canadian Citizenship, and as a certified Director for not-for-profits through the Institute of Corporate Directors. I look forward to working with the alumni, staff, faculty, and the administration and leadership teams in making SFU’s vision a reality, and enhancing the well-being of current and future generations.

SFU gave me the confidence and skills necessary to deal effectively with common life events. I hope to give back to SFU by becoming an Alumni Board Member.

If given the honour, I hope to promote the reputation of SFU as a place of academic excellence and help maintain a mutually beneficial relationship between SFU, its alumni and the community.

SFU played a pivotal role in establishing who I am, and I would like to use my skills and knowledge to support the school through the alumni association. It is important that alumni continue to assert the importance of higher education and the value of the SFU experience as a whole. Learning is a life-long process; it doesn’t end when one leaves the classroom. A strong alumni association can foster these ideals and guide the direction of SFU as it continues to grow and develop new campuses. As a volunteer during the Olympics I know that I felt a strengthening of community and I believe the SFUAA can extend and benefit from this emotion that we all shared.

I did not consider my Convocation ceremony the end of my time at SFU; graduating is merely a milestone in what will be a long-term commitment to my alma mater, currently as second-time Head Coach for JDC West and hopefully through involvement with the SFU Alumni Association.

I consider myself lucky to have been introduced to numerous opportunities through various sources, including faculty, staff, and friends. As is evident from my extensive extracurricular experiences, I am grateful for having learnt about and benefitted from the opportunities available to me and my peers at SFU.

As such, I value the role of the SFU Alumni Association for the services it provides, the events it holds and supports (either financially or otherwise), and the communication efforts used to keep thousands of us somehow feeling connected to our outstanding university. From participating in and now coaching case competitions, and from outstanding academic achievements to teaching (as a part-time TA), I believe that my diverse range of roles on the hill make me a great addition to the Board. Being a part of the Alumni Board will give me another opportunity to continue giving back to the SFU community. Whether it is on or off campus, I hope that my actions inspire others and empower them to make a change themselves. I value higher education and community involvement very highly, and look forward to seeing how the SFU Alumni Association continues to advocate both, hopefully including my input in the near future.

I have served 2 full terms as treasurer of the SFU Alumni Association and am pleased to have furthered our legacy of fiscal responsibility. The Association is well positioned to continue investing deeply in the SFU community. During the past three years I have had the opportunity to fuel my desire to contribute to the growth of the university and to the lives of my fellow alumni. One of my key objectives for the Association was to engage alumni, provide career development opportunities, and play a role in bridging the gap after student life. To this end, we’ve breathed new life into the Young Alumni Group and have continually held sold-out events to serve this group. This is complemented by board efforts to personally mentor and connect young alumni with more experienced peers in the community. With the launch of the Board initiated online alumni directory, SFU’s entire alumni network is destined to become even stronger. Given the opportunity, I would like to continue my commitment to listening to the needs of SFU alumni and drive forward efforts that provide value and facilitate engagement. I eagerly look forward to augmenting our successes and to actively shape the future of this great university.