Why SFU inspires me: Soundbites from our 2022 Outstanding Alumni Award Recipients

As the first in my family to attend university, choosing SFU was an easy decision. Somehow, I knew that SFU 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’s a sentiment that many of my fellow alumni share, including four distinguished leaders who were also drawn to pursue an SFU 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 SFU is such a special place—and why I’m so passionate about advancing philanthropic support of the university, both personally and professionally.

We had the opportunity to hear their reflections on what makes SFU great:

1. SFU is a place for discovery

 “I attended two other postsecondary institutions before settling at SFU to study business. I think SFU is a great place for people who don’t 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’m good at, what suits me. I got a lot of clarity.”  

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

 “I began my scientific career in a fruit fly genetics lab at SFU. 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’s what I wanted to do.”  

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

2. Many great things start at SFU

“The First Nations Technology Council, which I’ve led for 10 years now, was just a concept before I came to SFU. I’ve 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.” 

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

“I 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 ‘Wow, if only there was a way to visualize this.’ Years later, we did that.” 

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

“My lightbulb moment came from my time in the SFU 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 ‘Aha!’ moment where I thought of an idea, and it worked—that’s what really hooked me.” 

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

3. SFU alumni believe in what the university stands for

 “I was really inspired by the history of SFU being a radical campus of thinkers, doers and scholars—a collective of incredible people and a community who were trying to do things differently. Hearing stories about the past and what made SFU 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.” 

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

“The silver spoons don’t go to SFU. Often it’s people who have fewer opportunities and want to explore, learn and step outside of the status quo. This is what makes SFU very entrepreneurial, innovative, flexible and cutting-edge.”

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

4. SFU alumni want to solve big problems

“One thing I’d 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—some of that is through policy, advocacy or building tools to help them work faster and more productively, or investing in them.” 

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

“I’m interested in tackling anxiety, mental health and the need for perfection—and having their lives together and figured out so early—that many young people today feel. In pursuing these unrealistic expectations, kids may miss out on some of the ‘stumbling around’ 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.” 

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

5. SFU and its alumni share a commitment to giving back

SFU’s 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 SFU to establish the Charles Chang Institute for Entrepreneurship.

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 SFU with a desire to give back, or they leave inspired to do so, I couldn’t be prouder of what my fellow alumni have done—and continue to do—to uplift their communities.

Do you know of any outstanding SFU 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. Learn more.