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Annual Alumni Dinner | Centennial News and Events | Alumni News annual alumni dinner | centennial news and events | alumni news the uts alumni magazine | spring 2010 Coming Home Chris Alexander ’85 returns to Canada His years in Russia and Afghanistan, and his new life in Canadian politics o lympiC pride Crawford award UTS has a long and proud Dr. John Evans ’46 is association with the Games the inaugural recipient Upcoming UTS Events UTS AlUmni ASSociATion BoArd of Mark Your Calendars direcTorS President friday, aPril 23, 2010: 5:30 p.m.: Junior Café Bleu; 7:00 p.m.: Junior Music Night Peter Neilson ’71 416-214-5431 s aturday, aPril 24, 2010: 6:30 p.m.: Centennial Music Night; 9:30 p.m.: Senior Café Bleu vice President Music Nights Rob Duncan ’95 Hear the premiere performances of the winning compositions from the Centennial Music 416-622-2214 Composition Competition at the April 24th concert – and alumni are encouraged to play as well as listen! More details on page 19. Contact: [email protected] or call 416-978-6802. Past President George Crawford ’72 416-499-9000 Th ursday, may 6, 2010 treasurer Annual Art Exhibition and Reception Bob Cumming ’65 From 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the UTS gym. 416-727-6640 Contact: [email protected] for more information. Honorary President s aturday, may 29, 2010 Michaele M. Robertson Centennial Homecoming & Dinner 416-946-5334 Homecoming: from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., all alumni are invited back to UTS for an Open Honorary vice President House extravaganza. Dinner: at 6:00 p.m. in the Great Hall, Hart House. Details on page 19. Rick Parsons Register at: www.utschools.ca/rsvp or call 416-978-3919. 416-946-7088 Wednesday, may 26, 2010 directors Don Borthwick ’54 UTSAA Annual General Meeting 705-436-3452 6:00 p.m. in the UTS Library. Contact: [email protected]. Nina Coutinho ’04 647-501-2308 Th ursday, June 17, 2010 Gerry Crawford ’52 905-271-0445 UTSAA Golf Tournament Peter Frost ’64 Join us at St. Andrew’s Valley for our 15th Annual Tournament. Tee-offs from 11:00 a.m. 416-867-2035 to 1:30 p.m. Contact: [email protected] or call 416-978-3919 for more information. Sharon Lavine ’84 416-868-1755 x224 Th ursday, sePtember 16, 2010 Bernie McGarva ’72 Centennial Speakers Event 416-865-7765 Join moderator John Allemang ’70 and notable alumni for a panel discussion on Tom Sanderson ’55 “Wise Guys and Brainiacs: How Far can Intelligence take us in our 2nd Century?” 416-604-4890 Contact: [email protected] or call 416-978-3919 for more information. Nick Smith ’63 416-920-0159 s aturday, october 16, 2010 Jennifer Suess ’94 Centennial Gala: Double Blue & White Ball 416-654-2391 At the Four Seasons Hotel, this elegant end to the Centennial year will launch UTS into Phil Weiner ’01 its second century of excellence. Register at: www.utschools.ca/rsvp or call 416-978-3919. 416-868-2239 14 22 20 30 IN r SHo T m ark Your calendars 2 Contents Upcoming alumni & school events the root | spring 2010 Bits & Pieces 4 Noteworthy UTS tidbits r emembrance day 31 12 Carrying a Torch Photos from November’s service UTS has a long and proud association with the Olympics; here are some notable Alumni who have participated over the years. rSePo T President’s report 7 14 Our Man in Afghanistan Celebrating 100 years of UTS Christopher Alexander ’85 was the first resident Canadian Ambassador Principal’s message 8 Ensuring educational excellence to Afghanistan. In this exclusive interview, Chris talks about UTS, Russia, Afghanistan, and his bid to become a Canadian MP. Advancement report 9 Alumni have come home to UTS 19 Centennial Notebook UTS Board report 10 Acknowledging those who have News and announcements about Centennial events, including: worked to secure UTS’ future Homecoming, the Double Blue & White Ball, the presentation of the H.J. Crawford Award, and the first inductees into the UTS Hall of Fame. f oundation report 11 Good news for the UTSF 22 Annual Alumni Dinner Coverage Hundreds of former students returned to UTS to share a meal On the cover: Christopher Alexander ’85 comes home and some memories last October. to Canada – and to UTS. Read the exclusive interview starting on page 14. Our thanks to this issue’s contributors: 26 Alumni News Martha Drake, David W. Hogg ’88, Bob Lord ’58, Lily McGregor, All the latest in the lives of your classmates, including In Memoriam Claudia Miatello, Peter Neilson ’71, Jennifer Orazietti, Jane Rimmer, Michaele M. Robertson, Bill Saunderson ’52, and tributes to the lives of three distinguished Alumni. Diana Shepherd ’80 Photography: Cover, Centennial Opening Reception, UTS Hall of Fame, Alumni Dinner, Remembrance Day: Victor Yeung u niversity of toronto scHools alumni association Editor: Diana Shepherd ’80 371 s Bloor treet West, Room 121, toronto, Ontario m5s 2R7 Phone: 416-978-3919 Fax: 416-971-2354 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.utschools.ca/alumni | Published spring and Fall, The Root is Design: Rick Blechta (Castlefield Media); “Factoid” by available to all alumni, parents, and friends of UTS. Contact us at the above addresses to receive a copy Jane Rimmer or to change your address. this issue is also available at: www.utschools.ca/alumni/alumnimagazine.aspx Printed by: Thistle Printing Ltd. spring 2010 | t he u ts a l u m n i m a g a z i n e : the root 3 Bits&p ieces A compendium of noteworthy UTS tidbits. ball program at UTS. In the of the Western Ghats. The “When most people think of Basketball champs Championship game, the camp she attended was India, they think of the Taj The Junior Girls Basketball Blues took the lead at the based around the Nilgiri Mahal – they don’t think of team ended a spectacular end of the first quarter and Biosphere Reserve in Nilgiris,” says Amy. “It is so season by defeating Bloor never looked back. The final Southern India: a “biodi- beautiful – absolutely stun- Collegiate to win the result was UTS 33/Bloor 29. versity hotspot” increasingly ning.” Amy also participated South Region Junior Girls impacted by the effects of in the high profile Annual Basketball Championship. UTS climate climate change. Amy – along YUVA meet (Youth Unite for The team, led by Coach champion with 40 other students rep- Voluntary Action) in Delhi, Virginia Ki (a former UTS In late January, S6 UTS stu- resenting ten countries – had which was organized by student-teacher), steadily dent Amy Jiang was invited the opportunity to study at The Energy and Resources improved throughout the by the British Council in a forest genetics centre and Institute (TERI). The con- season, building the founda- India to study climate effects a soil and water research ference participants released tion for a strong girls basket- on the mountain ecosystem centre, to name but two. two declarations: one outlin- A party so special it can only happen once in a century! Join us for the Double Blue & White Ball to celebrate the conclusion of our Centennial and the launch of our second century. Tickets include cocktails, a gourmet dinner with wine, prizes, dancing, and so much more! register now! the first hundred tickets will be sold for $200; afterwards, m O C the price will be $250. a limited number of tickets are available at $125 for . O t O h alumni from 2000-10 and staff. special anniversary years will be honoured. P k C O all proceeds to benefit uts. st i ndin; u Saturday, october 16, 2010 at 6:00 p.m. at the four Seasons Hotel, Toronto. R B F Register now at www.utschools.ca/rsvp or call 416-978-3919. u : O t O Phg sta 4 the root : the uts alumni magazine | spring 2010 the founder and co-chair of the EcoCouncil, as well Another Success as the co-president of the Posted Roots & Shoots club. She Students from across the is the third UTS student to United States and Canada be named a British Council submitted posters on the International Climate subject of biotechnology to Champion, following in the the 2009 Lilly BioDreaming footsteps of Azra Shivji Poster Competition and Luisa Lizoain (see The and UTS student, Ilana Root, Spring and Fall 2008, Tavshunsky, placed first in respectively). the Grade 10-12 category. York University The mission of the Lilly engineering Biotechnology Institute & Science competitions UTS students were extremely In January, S6 student Amy Jiang was invited to study climate effects in southernIndia. successful in the York ing action steps to protect on the Green Street Youth University Engineering the Nilgiris specifically, and Advisory Committee (YAC), and Science Competitions another focusing on moun- for which she presented a on October 14, 2009. UTS tain ecosystems worldwide. workshop on effective ways participated in five events, Ilana Tavshunsky placed first in an Since becoming an to engage youth last May at placing third twice and first international poster competition. International British Council the World Environmental twice, to take home the is to engage and educate Canada Climate Champion Education Congress in Albridge Cup for the best the public – and young last January, Amy has trav- Montreal. She is treasurer school. Of particular note is people in particular – about elled to Ottawa to take part for the ICC’s ICCommit the fact that the point totals the promise and achieve- in meetings with prominent campaign and a driving for the fifth- to second-placed ments of biotechnology. Canadian politicians and force behind the Green teams were all within 60 The artwork of the top 12 to San Diego to attend Street Youth Mentorship points – but UTS finished 140 finalists will be displayed climate camp.
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