Engage Magazine | Winter 2023 | SFU Advancement & Alumni Engagement

Inside the magazine

Explore the impact of philanthropy at SFU in the stories below.

Message from the Vice-President, Advancement & Alumni Engagement

"Your thoughtfulness changes lives—and for that we are exceptionally grateful.

The support we receive from dedicated partners like you furthers SFU’s vision for advancing an inclusive and sustainable future. Together, through our shared commitment, we are responding to meet the needs of a world in flux and make it a better place. I am honoured to help in building that world alongside of you..."

READ ERIN MORANTZ'S MESSAGE

Meet Erin Biddlecombe, Senior Director, Student Affairs

Erin Biddlecombe leads a dynamic team supporting SFU students and their success with services and programs that go beyond academics. Through the three units she oversees—Health and Counselling Services, Multifaith Centre and Office of Student Support, Rights and Responsibilities—more than 65 doctors, clinical and non-clinical staff and dozens of student volunteers aim to support students’ wholistic well-being, including their physical, emotional, social spiritual, and mental health, which in turn, supports SFU students’ academic goals.

MEET ERIN BIDDLECOMBE

Doing good

From offering immersive experiential learning opportunities to fostering passionate campus communities, SFU prepares its students for a lifetime of making social change. To catch a glimpse at how SFU students translate their campus experiences into careers dedicated to creating a more inclusive future, we caught up with three alumni.

LEARN ABOUT ERIKA, JESSICA & RIAN

The singing janitor

Many alumni may remember Ted Sinnott, the beloved Convocation Mall janitor. Fondly known as the “singing janitor,” Ted was a cherished member of the SFU community who had a song and smile for everyone. It was said that he was “written into the university’s cleaning contracts.” Even as the contracts changed hands, Ted would remain.

LEARN ABOUT TED SINNOTT

Healthy food for healthy minds

Food security is a critical part of ensuring people’s physical and mental health.

But rising costs of food and increasing financial instability mean that more SFU students than ever are facing challenges accessing healthy food. Too often, students survive on a substandard diet of noodles and rice—or skip meals entirely.

LEARN HOW SFU DONORS HELP

Supporting Indigenous and Black scientists

“We want to see science accessible for all, but we know that Black and Indigenous students aspiring to be academic scientists have, historically and in the present, faced structural barriers and biases,” says Ranah. “On the other hand, you see multiple studies prove that diverse teams have better scientific outcomes—think about when researchers around the world were collaborating to find a vaccine for COVID-19, and what a beautiful example this is of what different perspectives can do.”

LEARN ABOUT A NEWLY CREATED SCHOLARSHIP

Building community and compassion through coffee

For over 25 years, Renaissance Coffee owner Parminder Parhar has been a devoted member of SFU’s community, passionately crafting exceptional coffee and helping cultivate a sense of belonging for students, faculty, and staff across the university’s Burnaby campus.

GET TO KNOW PARMINDER PARHAR IN THIS Q&A

Transforming the future of cancer

How can we enhance support for cancer survivors and caregivers? For more than two decades, Dr. Stuart Peacock, a distinguished scientist and SFU health sciences professor, has focused his research on developing more effective cancer services, making health system funding decisions fairer and more transparent, and improving the quality of life of cancer patients and survivors.

LEARN ABOUT THIS IMPACTFUL WORK

Bringing equity into the health promotion space

When Ilhan Abdullahi joined the RADIUS Health Promotion Lab as program manager in 2019, she had already gone through her own journey of reconciling what equity looks like in the context of health promotion work...Working alongside migrant communities she's a part of and recognizing the disproportionate health disparities experienced by underserved communities, it was clear to Ilhan that addressing health inequities required a more grounded and equity-centered lens.

LEARN MORE!

Thank you for your impact!

Your thoughtful investment inspires us—and creates opportunities that help make the world a better place. From all of us at SFU, thank you for your commitment to advancing an inclusive and sustainable future.

VIEW THE INFOGRAPHIC

Five questions to ask when planning a charitable gift in your will

Many SFU donors choose to make a meaningful gift in their will to support countless future generations of students. When planning your own gift, it can sometimes seem daunting. Rory Green, Senior Director of Princial and Planned Gifts, recommends five questions you can use to help start your planning.

READ THE FIVE QUESTIONS

Making dreams come true: one couple's investment in our future

For John and Lexi Clague, making the decision to leave a gift in their will to support SFU graduate students was an easy one. “Nowadays I don’t know how a student can possibly afford to go to university,” says Lexi.

LEARN ABOUT JOHN & LEXI'S GENEROSITY

Part of the bigger picture

The story behind SFU’s newest mural stretches far beyond its home in Robert C. Brown Hall.

It is just one of three new enhancements to SFU’s Department of Geography made possible by a generous legacy gift of $500,000 left by geography alumni Kenneth Cawker.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MURAL

Bridging human connection in the world of immersive technologies

Katerina Stepanova, a PhD candidate at SFU’s School of Interactive Arts and Technology, is deeply passionate about cognitive science, education, and emerging art. Generously supported by multiple donor-funded scholarships, her work explores the fascinating question of how the design of immersive technologies impacts human social connections, our perceptions of the world, and place within it.

READ ABOUT KATERINA'S WORK

SFU news & research

From SFU retaining in Maclean's 2024 university rankings and graduate students helping to develop a fully electric commercial aircraft to SFU being involved in a major international antimatter breakthrough and a new acting dean for the SFU medical School, there are plenty of new and exciting things happening at SFU!

EXPLORE SOME OF THE LATEST HEADLINES

SFU's endowment

Endowments build a legacy of support that links generations and allow institutions like SFU to make commitments far into the future, knowing that stable and enduring funding will be available to meet those commitments.

VIEW A LIST OF NEW & TESTAMENTARY ENDOWMENTS

Message from the Vice-President, Finance & Administration

"Thank you to our endowment donors for your continued support and trust in SFU.

Your thoughtful support, combined with judicious oversight and sound investment decisions, has enabled SFU to provide stable spending income to further its vision, navigate market volatility, and prepare for the future. Thanks to your generosity, our strong investment performance allows us to improve lives through SFU’s academic, research, housing and athletics infrastructure and further the long-term sustainability of the university."

READ MARTIN POCHURKO'S MESSAGE & VIEW THE ENDOWMENT HIGHLIGHTS