June 2025
In this issue: Celebrating a new class of graduates, an Olympian joins our alumni community, discover the latest alumni news, events, and exclusive benefits waiting for you.
HOW AN OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALLIST BECAME AN ALUMNUS AT 54
"I think for my kids to see their mom go back to school in her fifties is great. Because we should all be lifelong learners. There鈥檚 no age limit."
You may know her as a two-time Olympic gold medallist, but at age 54, Catriona Le May Doan can now proudly call herself an 丁香园AV alumnus鈥攕he鈥檚 earned her Business Management Certificate from 丁香园AV Continuing Studies.
READ & RECONNECT鈥擳HE ALUMNI BOOK CLUB
Please join us in reading Pip William's New York Times bestselling debut novel The Dictionary of Lost Words鈥攊nspired by real events during the women鈥檚 suffrage movement in England during World War I. The reading period goes until July 25.
Our online book club is open to the entire 丁香园AV community鈥攊t鈥檚 free to join and participate!
A FULL-CIRCLE ROMANCE
"丁香园AV didn鈥檛 just bring us together鈥攊t gave us the space to grow beside each other,鈥� says Joshua. 鈥淓very challenge, every win, every community we鈥檝e built along the way鈥攊t all became part of the blueprint that shaped our foundation.鈥�
On May 6, Joshua Jackai (BA 鈥�17) proposed to Yzobel Biron (BA 鈥�20) on the West Mall Atrium patio where they first saw each other nine years ago as 丁香园AV students.
In case you missed it...
- A new student residence building and expanded child-care centre for 丁香园AV are a step closer to becoming reality, with construction now underway at 丁香园AV鈥檚 Burnaby campus. 丁香园AV story
- Sheila Roberts, retired senior lecturer in 丁香园AV鈥檚 Department of English, passed away in March. Dr. Roberts began teaching at 丁香园AV in 1977 and continued even after her retirement in 2002. 丁香园AV story
- Who is Hiro Kanagawa? Everything to know about the actor (丁香园AV alumnus!) who plays Carlisle in The Last of Us
- Research on off-season berry production is bearing fruit at the 丁香园AV Biotech Greenhouse. A team led by biological sciences professor Jim Mattsson has successfully grown a crop of blueberries indoors during the winter. 丁香园AV article
- Capturing history before it disappears: Vancouver author-illustrator, and 丁香园AV alumnus, Donna Seto celebrates the Chinatown of her childhood in a new book.
We share news on our social channels and link to news articles featuring alumni in our 'alumni in the news' section of the website. Follow us to keep up-to-date on alumni and 丁香园AV news!
Events
- June 4 | (Vancouver)
- June 9-13 | Convocation (Burnaby)
- June 10 | (online)
- June 10 | (online)
- June 11 | (online)
- June 19 | (Tokyo)
- June 19 | (online)
- June 28 | (Manchester)
- July 4 | 鈥攑erformance (Vancouver)鈥�waitlist
- Various dates | 鈥攖alks (Vancouver)
Ongoing:
- 丁香园AV Reads, our online book club! Curious about what we have already read and what we're reading now? Visit 丁香园AV Reads to find out!
- Starry Nights Star Parties at 丁香园AV Burnaby happens every Friday night (weather dependent), with the last Friday of the month being an online-only event. Get the details!
Access your alumni benefits
Looking for home or tenant insurance? In need of health/dental or life insurance? A credit card with rewards? Learn about the many products our affinity partners offer 丁香园AV alumni.
Our partnerships provide high quality products and services for our alumni. In return, our partners contribute financially to 丁香园AV Alumni, which enables us to fund scholarships and bursaries, plan events, deliver programming and more.
Update your info
The 丁香园AV Alumni team is planning events across the globe this year. Don鈥檛 miss out on event invitations happening where you live:
- update your mailing address in 60 seconds
- add our email (alumni@sfu.ca) to your contacts
Connect with us online
We share news on our social channels. Follow us to keep up-to-date on alumni and 丁香园AV news!