Fostering inclusive excellence in events: Gloria Chu culminates career at SFU with staff achievement award

When describing Gloria Chu, director of SFU Ceremonies & Events (C&E), her colleagues share several themes: excellence, empathy and leadership. Her impact at the university has earned her the admiration and gratitude of many, as well as a 2023 Staff Achievement Award.

“Gloria’s empathetic nature, sense of humour, and unwavering encouragement of her team members creates a supportive and inspiring work environment,” says Lisa Elliott, C&E senior associate director. “She holds herself and her team to high standards while always maintaining a compassionate approach.”

During Chu’s 18 years with SFU, she marked a number of milestone achievements as a member of C&E.

Shaping moments in SFU’s history

Chu oversaw and produced many significant SFU events such as its 50^th Anniversary in 2015, coordinating an in-depth consultation process and a memorable year of celebration. The festivities included kickoff events on all three campuses, a dinner event and fireworks.

Chu’s team and colleagues also commended her leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. From adapting convocation into a remote event during the early months of the pandemic, to planning and overseeing the return to in-person ceremonies, Chu’s vision and attention were critical to her success.

“Gloria has consistently shown exceptional problem-solving skills, often coming up with creative and innovative solutions to the challenges our institution faces,” says Kris Nordgren, assistant registrar.

“Thanks to Gloria, SFU graduates still had the chance to mark their accomplishments in a unique and meaningful way,” says Elliott.

Building capacity and uplifting others

As director of C&E, Chu established the On-campus Professional Events Network (OPEN), providing resources and networking opportunities to event-planning staff, faculty and students at SFU.

Within OPEN, Chu and her team created the C&E Toolkit, an event-planning guide which walked users through stages from conceptualization to post-event evaluation and debriefing. The guide has also been expanded to included equity, diversity and inclusion considerations and recommendations. Notably, the guide has found use beyond Simon Fraser. “SFU’s toolkit has received praise from academic event planners from other universities as ‘gold standard’,” says Elliott.

A commitment to EDI and reconciliation

Chu has been responsible for reshaping Convocation to include many advancements and important equity, diversity and inclusivity protocols. Technological initiatives such as digital screens and improved audiovisuals introduced by Chu have elevated accessibility, and enhanced the overall experience for graduates and guests alike.

Chu was also a frequent collaborator of the Aboriginal Reconciliation Council, assisting in their ceremonial activities and building a relationship between C&E and their group. Her efforts towards Reconciliation in C&E  included work with Indigenous peoples to establish Indigenous event protocols for the university and refreshing SFU’s convocation to include Coast Salish traditions. “It’s important we evolve our convocation traditions to reflect Reconciliation as a university priority and show respect to the peoples on whose traditional territories the Burnaby campus is situated,” said Chu.

In addition to Chu’s achievements, her colleagues pay testament to her remarkable comportment as a leader. “Compassionate, hardworking, enthusiastic and humble are a few of the many words to describe Gloria Chu and her approach to leadership,” says William Chan-Gill, event coordinator.

“Gloria's leadership represents a rare fusion of visionary thinking, extensive experience, and an unwavering commitment to both the success of the Ceremonies and Events team and the broader university community,” adds Elliott.

Prior to her departure, Chu received the Staff Achievement Award for Equity & Belonging for her impact in Ceremonies & Events, both as a service provider and a workplace.

“Gloria has created a truly supportive, safe, and fun working environment,” says Chan-Gill. “She has worked tirelessly to ensure that C&E is expanding and changing for the good.”