LAWRENCE HILL Award-Winning Author Lawrence Hill ’75 Reflects on UTS, Race and the Search for Home
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Root THE UTS ALUMNI MAGAZINE FALL 2019 L AW R E N C E HILL ’75 Author headlines inaugural BTF Speaker Series PRESIDENT'S REPORT Let’s be Generous to a Fault In the Fall of 1982, I entered University of Toronto Schools to a raucous scene as students, new and experienced, were excitedly anticipating the start of the new school year. Now, almost four decades later, I often find myself walking past 371 Bloor Street West. It is rare when I do not take a moment to remember those first days, when I could only imagine where life would take me. As an alumnus and president of the UTSAA, I am thrilled to see the progress that is being made to our school and for what it portends for future generations of UTS students and alumni. None of this progress would have been possible were it not for your generosity. Please take a few minutes to read the UTS Donor Report in this issue of The Root. These are the alumni, parents, staff and friends who view the kind of education offered at UTS as being so vital that they have decided to give to the best Mark Opashinov ’88 of their abilities. That generosity of spirit deserves our unreserved gratitude. PRESIDENT, UTSAA The Building the Future campaign is now in its final stretch. I am confident that we will find that extra reserve of energy to meet our goal. At the time of this writing, we are within $4.3 million of reaching our $60 million goal. I appreciate that this will be the most challenging part of our campaign. At the same time, I know that I have no reason to worry – UTS alumni have never had an issue meeting goals. That is what led us to UTS in the first place. With our collective commitment to the school, I know we are in good shape. But I am also aware that $4.3 million is no small sum, and it will take a concerted effort by all of us to reach that goal. As you will read elsewhere in this issue of The Root, Jim Fleck C.C. ’49 P ’72, UTS Board Chair, recently issued a challenge I would very much like to see us all take on, to the extent that we are each able. Jim asked us to consider increasing our previous donations and pledges by 25 per cent. If we are able to do so, we will reach – and surpass – our goal well ahead of schedule. If you have had the opportunity to visit 371 Bloor for yourself recently, you have seen the transformative power of generosity. Scaffolding has gone up, and the work has started in earnest. The future Athletic Centre, Atrium, library and auditorium is currently a deep hole in the ground but by the end of the year, the digging will end and construction will begin. This is the moment we have been anticipating for years, when our plans, our hopes and our promises will be fulfilled. I am as excited by this as almost any major event in my near 40-year association with UTS. I have always been proud of UTS. First as a student, then as an alumnus, now as your UTSAA president and Building the Future campaign donor. I am even prouder to know that, in some ways, my most significant contributions to UTS came long after I graduated. I have happily accepted Jim’s challenge and hope that you will consider doing so as well. TORO OF NT Y O T S UTSAA BOARD OF DIRECTORS I UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO S C H R E O V O I L N S PRESIDENT TREASURER HONORARY PRESIDENT U SCHOOLS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION V E S L U U Mark Opashinov ’88 Tina Bates ’88, P ’22 Rosemary Evans T M A AR R BOR ITA 371 Bloor Street West, Room 121 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Toronto, Ontario M5S 2R7 VICE PRESIDENT SECRETARY HONORARY VICE PRESIDENT Laura Money ’81 Aaron Dantowitz ’91 Nancy Dawe [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Phone: 416-978-3919 DIRECTORS Fax: 416-971-2354 Jonathan Bitidis ’99 Peter Frost ’63 Bob Pampe ’63 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Aaron Chan ’94 Sara Son Hing ’97 Morgan Ring ’07 Web: www.utschools.ca/alumni [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] David Dodds ’73 Oliver Jerschow ’92 Tim Sellers ’78 Facebook: www.fb.com/utschools [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Twitter and Instagram: @utschools Anne Fleming ’85, P ’17 Peter Neilson ’71 Ian Speers ’98 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] CONTENTS 8 LAWRENCE HILL Award-winning author Lawrence Hill ’75 reflects on UTS, race and the search for home. 14 RISING TO THE CLIMATE CHANGE CHALLENGE UTS alumni lend their expertise to the climate change battle. 18 CONSTRUCTION CORNER Renewed 371 Bloor taking shape as construction progresses toward September 2021. REGULAR FEATURES UTS Board Report . 4 Alumni News . 19 Advancement Report . 4 Mark Your Calendars . 23 Principal’s Report . 5 Annual Donor Report . 26 In School . 6 PUBLISHER DESIGN ON THE COVER Martha Drake PageWave Graphics Inc. Lawrence Hill ’75 MANAGING EDITOR PHOTOGRAPHY ABOVE AND STAFF WRITER Lisa Sakulensky L-R: Erika Javornik and Willa Manella share an exciting scientific discovery at UTS. Matt Semansky Emma Jenkin & James Harrison CONTRIBUTORS PRINTER EDITOR Our thanks to this issue’s contributors: Karen Sumner, Warren Lang, Colour Systems Inc. Sumner & Lang Dr. Paul Moore, Martha Drake, Matt Semansky, Rosemary Evans, PROOFREADER Jim Fleck C.C. ’49, P ’72, Mark Opashinov ’88, Elizabeth Bush ’91, Camille Li ’92, Morgan Ring ’07 Kai Chan ’93, Gavin Pitchford ’76, Chelsea Horvath ’85, Matthew Lie-Paehlke ’98 Published spring and fall, The Root is available to all alumni, parents and friends of UTS. The Root is also available at: www.utschools.ca/root. Contact us at [email protected] or 416-978-3919 to update your address or to receive your copy electronically. UTS BOARD REPORT As I write this, the Building the Future campaign has raised $55.7 million, or about 92 per cent of our $60-million goal. I believe it’s worth celebrating what we’ve done in just two years since the official launch of the campaign to renew and revitalize our unique school. We have seen tremendous participation from staff, enthusiastic initiatives from parents, phenomenal support from our alumni and even contributions from students. We also welcomed our 17th Founder – a designation given for gifts of $1 million or more. I couldn’t be more proud of the collective generosity and commitment from every corner of our community. We truly could not have come this far without you. But we are not done yet. Having been a part of many fundraising campaigns over the years, I am familiar with the way enthusiasm and momentum can ebb and flow. Although we are now only $4.3 million away from our goal, I know from experience that completing the last few kilometres to the finish line can be the most challenging part of the campaign marathon. However, I am convinced that the UTS community will meet that challenge. I Jim Fleck C.C. ’49, P ’72 believe that the passion we all have for this school – which is home to some of our most Board Chair, UTS cherished memories, has shaped so many of our local, national and global leaders, and prepared us so well for our own futures – will keep the momentum going strong for the Building the Future campaign. I believe we all want to provide the remarkable students at UTS the best possible educational environment for decades to come. From the beginning of the campaign, I’ve urged donors to “give ‘til it feels good.” I’m encouraging those who have already made a gift to think of how good it will feel to give just a little bit more. I recently increased my own contribution by 25 per cent, and if everyone who has made a gift – of any size – is able to make the same commitment, we will achieve our goal and then some. The Building the Future campaign, like any fundraising project, is a long-distance race. Let’s finish it together. ADVANCEMENT REPORT Last June, our faithful leader, Jim Fleck C.C., issued a challenge to the entire UTS community. As a graduate of the Class of 1949, parent of an alumnus, Chair of the UTS Board of Directors, Chair of the Project Steering Committee and Chair of the Building the Future campaign, Jim has a unique perspective on UTS and certainly a vested interest in the success of our school’s future. Jim began his message by thanking us for everything that we have done towards the transformation of our UTS building. To put his gratitude into concrete terms, I wish to share that to date, 1,200 of us have made 3,536 donations which total $55.7 million towards our $60 million goal. Our collective support as a community is stunning, and I wish to express my gratitude to each and every one of you who jumped in to participate in this important campaign. After all, this effort is not just about the refurbishment of our physical plant; rather, it’s about continuation of our beloved school, as an affiliate of the University of Toronto, and at our home site at 371 Bloor Street West.