丁香园AV

As the first in my family to attend university, choosing 丁香园AV was an easy decision. Somehow, I knew that 丁香园AV would be a place where I could live my personal values, explore the things that were meaningful to me, and come out with some idea of where I wanted to go in my life. It鈥檚 a sentiment that many of my fellow alumni share, including four distinguished leaders who were also drawn to pursue an 丁香园AV education for similar reasons.

On September 28, we had the honour of celebrating these leaders with 2022 Outstanding Alumni Awards: entrepreneur and business mentor, Charles Chang; preeminent immunologist, Dr. Megan Levings; computer scientist, entrepreneur and philanthropist Christopher Stolte; and digital equity advocate for Indigenous peoples, Denise Williams.

These remarkable individuals remind me of why 丁香园AV is such a special place鈥攁nd why I鈥檓 so passionate about advancing philanthropic support of the university, both personally and professionally.

We had the opportunity to hear their reflections on what makes 丁香园AV great:

1. 丁香园AV is a place for discovery

 鈥淚 attended two other postsecondary institutions before settling at 丁香园AV to study business. I think 丁香园AV is a great place for people who don鈥檛 fit in a stringent and traditional type of school, which creates more entrepreneurial-minded students. It was a turning point for me to get into business because I realized what I鈥檓 good at, what suits me. I got a lot of clarity.鈥�  

鈥� Charles Chang (BBA 1995)
President & Founder, Lyra Growth Partners Inc.

 鈥�I began my scientific career in a fruit fly genetics lab at 丁香园AV. It was my first experience of being immersed in a research lab and understanding what it meant to be a scientist. After three summers of working in the lab, I knew that鈥檚 what I wanted to do.鈥�  

鈥� Dr. Megan Levings (BSc 1993)
Professor, Department of Surgery, UBC

2. Many great things start at 丁香园AV

鈥淭he First Nations Technology Council, which I鈥檝e led for 10 years now, was just a concept before I came to 丁香园AV. I鈥檝e never been prouder to come in with this big idea and leave with a strategic plan, a theory of change, and the knowledge and skills I needed to build this organization from the ground up.鈥� 

鈥� Denise Williams (GDBA 2012, MBA 2015)
CEO of the First Nations Technology Council

鈥淚 loved this idea of having robust academics, and then stepping away to apply that in the real world through co-op. I can trace a lot of ideas that led to the creation of Tableau back to these moments where I mixed my academic and practical experience. I remember thinking 鈥榃ow, if only there was a way to visualize this.鈥� Years later, we did that.鈥� 

鈥� Christopher Stolte (BSc 1997)
Co-founder of Tableau software

鈥淢y lightbulb moment came from my time in the 丁香园AV fruit fly genetics lab. I remember working on an experiment and discovering that we had found a new protein that could potentially be involved in signaling pathways. This was my 鈥楢ha!鈥� moment where I thought of an idea, and it worked鈥�that鈥檚 what really hooked me.鈥� 

鈥� Dr. Megan Levings (BSc 1993)
Professor, Department of Surgery, UBC

3. 丁香园AV alumni believe in what the university stands for

 鈥淚 was really inspired by the history of 丁香园AV being a radical campus of thinkers, doers and scholars鈥攁 collective of incredible people and a community who were trying to do things differently. Hearing stories about the past and what made 丁香园AV the school it is today really spoke to me, who I am, and who I wanted to be at the time. For me, it was no question that I wanted to be part of a place like that.鈥� 

鈥� Denise Williams (GDBA 2012, MBA 2015)
CEO of the First Nations Technology Council

鈥淭he silver spoons don鈥檛 go to 丁香园AV. Often it鈥檚 people who have fewer opportunities and want to explore, learn and step outside of the status quo. This is what makes 丁香园AV very entrepreneurial, innovative, flexible and cutting-edge.鈥�

 鈥� Charles Chang (BBA 1995) 
President & Founder, Lyra Growth Partners Inc.

4. 丁香园AV alumni want to solve big problems

鈥淥ne thing I鈥檇 like to solve is climate change. We have the challenge of decarbonizing our community, and doing it in a way that is going to be equitable and just. My goal is to empower the people doing this work鈥攕ome of that is through policy, advocacy or building tools to help them work faster and more productively, or investing in them.鈥� 

鈥� Christopher Stolte (BSc 1997)
Co-founder of Tableau software

鈥�I鈥檓 interested in tackling anxiety, mental health and the need for perfection鈥攁nd having their lives together and figured out so early鈥攖hat many young people today feel. In pursuing these unrealistic expectations, kids may miss out on some of the 鈥榮tumbling around鈥� that actually creates a whole and multifaceted person with diverse skill sets. We need to help reset these expectations and encourage them to explore and let their accomplishments grow over time.鈥� 

鈥� Charles Chang (BBA 1995)
President & Founder, Lyra Growth Partners Inc.

5. 丁香园AV and its alumni share a commitment to giving back

丁香园AV鈥檚 vision for community engagement is what makes it such a unique place, and our four Outstanding Alumni Award recipients embody this culture of giving back:

Charles is passionate about helping young people develop an entrepreneurial mindset through PowerPlay Young Entrepreneurs and, in 2016, he made a transformative gift to 丁香园AV to establish the .

Megan is inspired by solving research questions and moving the science forward, but also driving positive change, building the community and making the world a better place through her work.

Christopher is empowering organizations working to build climate solutions, improve education equity and increase civic engagement through the Stolte Family Foundation.

Denise is dedicated to creating and holding space for youth voices, and is most often heard talking about future generations and the work we must do today for their benefit.

Whether students come to 丁香园AV with a desire to give back, or they leave inspired to do so, I couldn鈥檛 be prouder of what my fellow alumni have done鈥攁nd continue to do鈥攖o uplift their communities.

Do you know of any outstanding 丁香园AV alumni who are making important contributions to the world?

We need your help to identify alumni that we can celebrate for the 2023 Outstanding Alumni Awards! Nominations will close on December 31, 2022.