The Root Spring 2020 – The UTS Alumni Magazine

Root THE UTS ALUMNI MAGAZINE

SPRING 2020

MEG GRAHAM ’89 & PETER ORTVED ’67

FORGING NEW PATHS IN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

PRESIDENT'S REPORT

Mark Opashinov ’88 PRESIDENT, UTSAA

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We Rise to the Challenge of COVID-19 We always rise to a challenge at University of Toronto Schools, and UTS alumni are no exception. To our many alumni serving on the front lines fighting COVID-19, our thoughts and hopes lie with you. To our school, I want to thank the leadership and staff for their quick action to ensure the learning continues online. We persevere with an eye to the future.

Thanks to alumni, and your unprecedented support, we have a strong foundation for what comes next. In 2017, we set a lofty goal of raising $60 million for our Building the Future campaign to build a new, world-class home for UTS. We knew we were aiming high, but we also knew how much this school means to alumni, how the transformative education you experienced here helped set you on the path to your future lives.

Collectively you answered our call for support, once again showing how UTS is far more than then the tangible halls and classrooms, science labs, and gyms, but the source of a strong and enduring community that cares deeply for UTS and everything we stand for.

Together, 1,260 alumni from 16 countries gave their generous support to the Building the Future campaign, from a 1916 alumnus through his estate — a legacy that keeps on giving — all the way through to an alumna from the Class of 2019.

Every single one of our 20 Founders — donors who raised or gave a million dollars or more — are alumni, including individuals and three groups — the Bruce MacLean, First Girls, and Class of 1977 initiatives.

Many of you banded together, creating an impressive 28 group projects, and 160 of you stepped up to give your time and energy as campaign volunteers. At the same time, you stayed true to your roots, continuing to back the UTS bursary program.

Thank you to our generous alumni, for being such a force, and the overwhelming source of the success of this campaign.

We enjoyed 110 years in our historic building, and because of you, we are looking well into the future in the renewed school, upholding the long-standing tradition of high-calibre education and caring community that makes UTS such an extraordinary place to learn, grow, and become who you are.

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO SCHOOLS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION 371 Bloor Street West, Room 121 Toronto, Ontario M5S 2R7 Phone: 416-978-3919 Fax: 416-971-2354 E-mail: alumni@utschools.ca Web: www.utschools.ca/alumni Facebook: www.fb.com/utschools Twitter and Instagram: @utschools

UTSAA BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT

TREASURER

HONORARY PRESIDENT

Mark.Opashinov@utschools.ca

Sara.Son.Hing@utschools.ca

Sara Son Hing ’97

Rosemary Evans

VICE PRESIDENT

SECRETARY

HONORARY VICE PRESIDENT

Mark Opashinov ’88 Laura Money ’81

Aaron Dantowitz ’91

Laura.Money@utschools.ca

Aaron.Dantowitz@utschools.ca

Jonathan Bitidis ’99

Peter Frost ’63

REvans@utschools.ca

Nancy Dawe

Nancy.Dawe@utschools.ca

DIRECTORS Jonathan.Bitidis@utschools.ca

Peter.Frost@utschools.ca

Aaron Chan ’94

Adarsh Gupta ’12

Aaron.Chan@utschools.ca

David Dodds ’73

David.Dodds@utschools.ca

Anne Fleming ’85

Anne.Fleming@utschools.ca

Adarsh.Gupta@utschools.ca

Oliver Jerschow ’92

Oliver.Jerschow@utschools.ca

Peter Neilson ’71

Peter.Neilson@utschools.ca

Bob Pampe ’63

Bob.Pampe@utschools.ca

If you would like to receive your copy of The Root electronically, please contact alumni@utschools.ca or 416-978-3919.

Avanti Ramachandran ’09 Avanti.Ramachandran@utschools.ca

Morgan Ring ’07

Morgan.Ring@utschools.ca

Tim Sellers ’78

Tim.Sellers@utschools.ca

Ian Speers ’98

Ian.Speers@utschools.ca

CONTENTS 8

FORGING NEW PATHS IN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

Peter Ortved ’67 and Meg Graham ’89 tackle the challenge of sustainability.

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WHEN A POWERFUL ENGINE OF MOBILITY BREAKS DOWN In his new book, Paul Tough ’85 examines how the U.S. college system fails young people.

REGULAR FEATURES UTS Board Report . . . . . . . . 4

Construction Corner . . . .

18

Principal’s Report. . . . . . . . . 4

Annual Alumni Dinner. . . . 20

Advancement Report . . . . 5

Alumni News. . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

In School. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Mark Your Calendars. . . . . 23

PUBLISHER

DESIGN

ON THE COVER

Martha Drake

PageWave Graphics Inc.

MANAGING EDITOR AND STAFF WRITER

PHOTOGRAPHY

Meg Graham ’89 and Peter Ortved ’67 view the progress at our renewed school facility at 371 Bloor Street West. Photo credit: Dahlia Katz.

Kimberley Fehr

Dahlia Katz Emma Jenkin ’03

EDITOR

PRINTER

Sumner & Lang

Colour Systems Inc.

PROOFREADER

Morgan Ring ’07

ABOVE

Peter Ortved ’67 and Meg Graham ’89 outside our school. Photo credit: Dahlia Katz.

CONTRIBUTORS

Our thanks to this issue’s contributors: Alisha Atri ’16; Derek Bate ’71; Graeme Bate ’75; John Bate ’73; Alexandra Birkenshaw ’16; Luigi Cifa; John Della Serra; Martha Drake; Rosemary Evans; Jim Fleck C.C. ’49, P ’72; Emma Jenkin ’03; Amalia Jimenez ’81; Mark Opashinov ’88; Karen Sumner and Warren Lang.

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 alumni@utschools.ca or 416-978-3919 to update your address or to receive your copy electronically.

UTS BOARD REPORT

Jim Fleck C.C. ’49, P ’72 Board Chair, UTS

PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

Rosemary Evans Principal, UTS

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There are very few times in our lives when we are presented with an opportunity that can truly be described as once in a lifetime. The Building the Future campaign is one of those times. Nearly three years ago, we set an unprecedented goal of raising $60 million to revitalize our school building at 371 Bloor Street West.

I knew we were aiming high, but I also knew how much UTS means to everyone in our community.

Now, I am so happy to report that we did it! The entire UTS community came together in a true collective effort of alumni, parents, parents of alumni, staff, and supporters of UTS to raise an incredible grand total of $61,041,566. We will have our renewed school and everything it means for the future of UTS! A total of 2,161 of us from 16 countries gave our support ranging from $5 to $5 million dollars. Also incredibly impressive was how we banded together, creating 28 group initiatives that raised over $4 million.

In this magazine at the start of the campaign, I called for donors to become UTS Founders, by giving or raising $1 million or more. Now, UTS is fortunate to have 20 Founders who have met the challenge, including individuals and groups.

A campaign of this magnitude is a success because of the strength of our community.

My immense thanks goes out to the everyone who stepped up: the leaders of the group initiatives, 185 campaign volunteers, Honorary Campaign Co-Chairs Hal Jackman and Michael Spence, and UTS Principal Rosemary Evans.

The renewal of our school building is a lasting legacy that will enhance high-calibre education at UTS for the next 100 years, maybe even more. Now, the excellence of our students will be empowered by the excellence of our facilities. The future is coming and it is going to be brilliant, thanks to your enduring support!

No matter what challenges our community faces, our mission at University of Toronto Schools endures. The learning will go on.

When COVID-19 shuttered schools across the city and around the world, our entire school community came together in an orchestrated collective effort to shift to online learning.

As we broke for March Break, it had become clear that education as usual was no longer an option. We took just over a week to transform UTS into an online school.

This extraordinary feat of technical adaptation led to all hands on deck, many late nights, lengthy conversations with staff, the school captains, UTSPA, the UTS Board, and indeed the entire community and an incredible amount of flexibility from everyone involved.

We did it! On March 24, our school dove into the brave, new world of online education, striving for the personal touch of live teaching in real time, which continues to ramp up. The first week went smoothly as staff and students embraced new technologies like Google Meet for live classes, and Google Classroom, Slides and Docs for supporting materials like videos and assignments. Our teachers refined their courses and developed new materials conducive to online learning, and continue to adapt and learn on the fly. Already students are taking part in online co-curriculars like Dungeons and Dragons, chess and Risk. We are planning an alternate venue and time for Graduation. No matter what transpires, we will celebrate our graduates!

Our primary focus continues to be the well-being of our students and staff. These new realities mean that our dedicated staff may be juggling their teaching with young children at home, as daycare centres are closed, or dealing with other new personal responsibilities. Students too may be facing unusual challenges, so it’s important to be understanding and to take a little more care.

Times like these create the greatest opportunities for learning. The world changed, and we changed with it. The past weeks have been truly unprecedented for UTS, Canada, and the world. When faced with adversity, we rise to the challenge, stay true to our mission and press forward, knowing there is always more to learn.

WE REMEMBER A UTS LEGEND When Derek Bate ’44 received the Crawford Award in 2013 for lifetime contribution to the School, Don Borthwick introduced him as “Mr. UTS” to the audience at the Alumni Dinner.

Perhaps no individual over the long and storied history of the school has been more deserving of the title. An alumnus, teacher, coach, Assistant Headmaster and then the first Executive Director of the UTS Alumni Association, Derek touched nearly all aspects of UTS life for more than 60 years.

Derek passed away on January 15, 2020 in his 94th year, leaving his three sons Derek ’71, John ’73, and Graeme ’75, and five grandchildren, including Ashley ’16. Between the Bate family and the Catto family into which Derek married, there are no fewer than 18 UTS alumni across four generations. Derek and his extended family have been part of the school since his father-in-law, John Catto Sr., enrolled in 1910.

After receiving a BASc in Engineering Physics at U of T and a Master of Education from the Ontario College of Education in 1950, and just six years after leaving UTS, he became the second student ever to join school staff, teaching math and physics. That started a 24-year teaching career at UTS which included serving as Assistant Headmaster/Principal for six years and Acting Headmaster in 1970. Derek left to become a Principal in the Peel Board, serving at three high schools.

Upon his retirement in 1989, he immediately renewed his involvement with UTS, becoming the first Executive Director of the UTSAA in 1990.

Little did he know what he had gotten himself into.

Beyond the many students to whom he taught physics, Derek’s greatest contribution to UTS may have been his tireless devotion to the 1993-97 bursary campaign. UTS was suddenly thrust into a $10 million fundraising campaign, with no road map and only a small database of alumni. His behind-the-scenes work drove the campaign to success, raising $15 million to ensure the School’s survival.

Derek will be remembered as a man of great patience, sly humour, and quiet leadership. He was a mentor and role model to those who were fortunate enough to be taught by him, teach with him, or be coached by him. He will be deeply missed by the UTS family.

Martha Drake

Executive Director, Advancement

With thanks to Derek Bate ’71, P ’16, John Bate ’73, and Graeme Bate ’75 for sharing this story of their father.

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IN SCHOOL

With only 60 seconds left in the final game for the SSAF Championship, the UTS Foundation Girls Basketball Team was down by four points. With 40 seconds to go, Violette Wu (F2/Grade 8) was fouled and scored two points to bring the game to a tie. In the last seconds, Hannah Adair (F1/Grade 7) sunk a three-pointer to win the SSAF Elementary Girls Championship.

Congratulations to the girls, Head Coach Melanie Adler ’10, and Assistant Coach Neuton Watson.

Over 100 UTS students and staff rallied at climate action strikes at Queen’s Park held in September and November 2019, in conjunction with millions of activists around the world. The students and staff are part of the new UTS Climate Action Now working group, established in September 2019, which has organized student events such as Meatless Lunch Day, clothing exchanges, and eco-anxiety discussions.

In January, the group rolled out the UTS Climate Pledge to staff and students, a convenient, visual tool that highlights the most effective actions for individuals and families to help address climate change. Climate Action Now has also worked with UTSPA, which made commitments to trial fully vegetarian catering, purchase materials made from sustainable resources, and discuss issues at the Annual General Meeting.

If interested in joining the working group, community members can reach out to captains@utschools.ca.

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With their transformational endowment gift, Richard Ingram ’61 and Satoko Shibata have secured the future of the Eureka! Research Institute @ UTS. Launched in 2017, Eureka! explores the forefront of evidence-based research in teaching and learning through research partnerships with the University of Toronto, practitioner research support, and the Eureka! Fellow Program, where participating teachers investigate aspects of education within their own classrooms. A new partnership is being forged with educators in Japan in support of UTS’ strategic goal of global citizenship. UTS extends its heartfelt thanks to Richard and Satoko for this incredible legacy to the future of learning.

In School

A team of six UTS students surprised the world with a stunning performance for our country at the International Junior Science Olympiad in Qatar last December. As the first team ever to represent Canada in this competition, Rally Lin (M3/Grade 9), Emily Liu (M4/Grade 10), Alexander Lyakishev (M4/Grade 10), Luckya Xiao (M4/Grade 10), Abe Wine (M4/ Grade 10), and Daniel Yang (M4/Grade 10) showed the world what Canada can do.

The annual competition for students age 15 and under tests their combined skill in biology, chemistry, and physics.

Abe won the top theoretical and the top overall score, against 400 of the best science students in the world. Daniel captured a gold medal, Emily took home a silver, and Alexander and Rally each won a bronze.

Kudos goes out to team leaders for being the impetus behind this winning endeavor: UTS’ Jennifer Pitt-Lainsbury and Maria Niño-Soto, and The Bishop Strachan School’s Andrew Moffat.

This year, UTS welcomed back Cat Criger as Elder-in-Residence, who also holds the role of Indigenous Advisor at the University of Toronto Mississauga Campus. In the 2019–20 school year, Cat and UTS Head of Academics Marc Brims organized various learning opportunities, which included attending Kaha:wi Dance Theatre’s The Mush Hole at Young People’s Theatre. After the performance, students took part in a Q&A session with the director and dancers.

At the end of the year, students will write a personalized letter to incoming F1/Grade 7 students, reflecting how their values have developed from the principles of reconciliation.

Members of the UTS Speech and Debate Team have once again shown their winning way with words. Competing at the Ontario Junior Provincial Debating Championships in February against more than 100 students, two teams from UTS debated the motion to implement a universal basic income in Ontario. The M3/Grade 9 teams of Rally Lin and Alyssia Li came second, and Tiffany Xian and Maria Xu came fourth, with both teams qualifying for Nationals. Individually, Rally placed third, Alyssia came forth, and Maria finished sixth. UTS was the only school to have two teams ranked in the top five and three members ranked in the top 10.

For more UTS news and views, check out our website at utschools.ca.

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FORGING NEW PATHS IN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN Award-winning architects and urbanists Peter Ortved ’67 and Meg Graham ’89 tackle the challenge of building sustainable structures and communities.

BY KAREN SUMNER PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAHLIA KATZ

THE UTS ALUMNI MAGAZINE

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Peter Ortved ’67, principal at CS&P Architects

April Maciborka

CS&P Architects

Meg Graham ’89, principal at superkül

ust as Peter Ortved ’67 began his career as a young architect in the mid-1970s, the world faced an energy crisis. Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom were among the many countries hit by an oil embargo that led to scarcity, high prices, long lines at gas stations, and a sense of panic in an economy largely dependent on petroleum. Among other tumultuous political and cultural events of the 1960s and 1970s that shaped Peter’s sensibility as a student and young architect, the oil crisis prompted a focus on energysaving measures that we still consider important today. Those decades also saw escalating concerns about pollution, air and water quality, toxic waste disposal, ozone depletion, and global warming.

By the time Meg Graham ’89 graduated from the University of Waterloo School of Architecture in the late-1990s, concerns about climate change — and global efforts to mitigate it — had gone mainstream. Of particular note to the life of an architect, the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) had been formed, which then developed the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating and certification system still in place today. In addition, the Passivhaus building standard had come into being, considered today to be the most rigorous voluntary energy-based standard in the design and construction industry. Both programs aim to support human and environmental health through better building design and construction.

All of this to say that, though they graduated over two decades apart, and our climate crisis has grown significantly since each launched their careers, a parallel thread of activism and ingenuity runs through the careers of these two award-winning professionals.

They are equally committed to functional, beautiful and sustainable architecture and design within an urban context.

A principal at CS&P Architects for the past 26 years, Peter oversees many educational, civic, and justice projects, with a focus on the creation of sustainable, accessible buildings and communities.

“Sustainable design principles have had a huge impact on architecture over the past few

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decades,” he says. “In their construction and operation, buildings play a significant role in the health of our environment, so reducing their energy and carbon footprint is a priority. That means using sustainable materials, systems and practices.

But there is more to sustainable communities than how we build new structures. What’s our approach to existing buildings? To accessibility? To transportation? To a city’s entire infrastructure?”

Meg asks the same questions about planning on a macro level. A principal at superkül, an architecture and design practice that prioritizes sustainability and progressive building technologies, Meg maintains a dual focus on individual projects and larger city issues.

“The big question, when it comes to our built environment, is where will we put our effort and resources? We’re in an interesting phase, where architecture and design are examining their roles in light of the climate situation. The challenge of making a sustainable building is different than making a sustainable city, though they are connected. While improving the energy use and thermal performance of buildings, we also need to look at density, affordability, traffic, transit and storm water through a sustainability lens in a city like Toronto. There is built-in inertia because the issues are so large. And there is fear of change.”

One of those fears manifests as a resistance to increasing residential density in the city, though additional housing is much needed. Meg would like to see far more four-to-six storey buildings in residential areas along transit routes rather than one or two stories. Sometimes referred to as the “missing middle,” the multi-unit dwellings she has in mind would help to fill a gap in affordable urban living. But the single-family home is the holy grail in Canadian culture, and that mindset requires a lot of energy to budge. Additionally, as both architects point out, existing buildings far outnumber new builds. Passive House Canada estimates that buildings consume up to 40 percent of global energy use and contribute up to 30 percent of annual global greenhouse gas emissions. It makes a lot of sense to simultaneously target the performance of new and older buildings as part of a larger effort to resolve our climate crisis.

Both Peter and Meg are active in civic service and the shaping of our existing spaces. In addition to teaching design at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design, Meg is a co-chair of the City of Toronto Design Review Panel and a member of the Harvard

CS&P Architects

University GSD Alumni Council. Peter has been active on a number of committees within the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada and Ontario Association of Architects and has been chair of several organizations, including, most recently, Heritage Toronto. He is also currently working with the City of Toronto on a plan for new uses for Old City Hall and has been retained by the federal government to act as the Professional Advisor for the upcoming architectural design competition for Block 2 on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.

Perhaps most fittingly, both are members of the Project Steering Committee, overseeing the challenge of applying sustainable design principles and construction practices to the redevelopment of a much older building.

Also a member of the UTS Board of Directors, Meg calls the school rebuild “a remarkable project led by amazing people,” including, of course, lead architect Don Schmitt ’70 of Diamond Schmitt Architects.

“It’s an absolutely transformational moment for UTS with all kinds of challenges, like working on a tight urban site, burying the gym, adding

capacity, and designing for student learning,” says Meg. “Sustainable design is not just about energy efficiency or safeguarding the health of our environment. It’s also about natural light, air quality, and human wellness. In this case, it also means supporting the teaching and learning goals of the school.”

There may not be any firms in this city that know more about optimal school design than Peter’s professional home, CS&P. In addition to its many community and civic projects, CS&P has an impressive array of public and independent school clients, including Crescent School, Havergal College and Upper Canada College.

It is also a member of the Association for Learning Environments, a non-profit dedicated to improving the spaces where children learn, and as such, has earned several A4LE awards.

“A significant contribution I could make to the Steering Committee was my experience with designing for designing educational facilities to suit visions and curricula,” he says. “Physical spaces impact the learning, development and behaviour of teachers and students. Sustainable design is

A heavy timber structure for the Visitor Centre evokes the feeling of being underneath the petal of a leaf at the David Braley and Nancy Gordon Rock Garden at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton, a project of Peter Ortved's firm, CS&P Architects.

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Ben Rahn/A-Frame Studio

What Remains to be Seen, a superkül project in Toronto uses passive ventilation, white exterior and reflective roof membrane to save on energy use.

much more than avoiding a negative impact on our environment. It’s also having a positive impact on our lives, which in the case of schools means being a catalyst for learning. Future UTS students are going to interact with their space in new ways, which is an important part of this rebuild.”

“ This city is changing. It is happening incrementally, but it is happening.”

Like CS&P, superkül has ongoing educational and civic projects — one client is the University of Toronto, another is the City of Hamilton with its new waterfront development at Pier 8 — as well as stunning residential builds. Founded in 2002 by fellow principal (and Meg’s husband) Andre D’Elia, the firm was recently selected as the 2020 Designer of the Year by Designlines 12

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magazine, which noted its “super contemporary and innovative private homes — and cool additions to the city’s public realms.” The shorthand for superkül’s design philosophy is “just enough,” which it is currently applying to, among other projects, prefabricated laneway houses that meet rigorous Passivhaus standards.

The laneway project illustrates how layered sustainability is as a concept. Reduced carbon emissions, lower operating costs, natural light, better air quality, and temperature control — these are all standards of sustainable design and construction. Add urban infill development, green roofs, affordability, bike parking, walkability, and access to transit, and compact homes offer not just functionality and smart infrastructure but also beauty and livability for their inhabitants.

“This city is changing,” says Meg. “It is happening incrementally, but it is happening. And a sustainability perspective will continue to grow.

So let’s do design and development exceptionally well. Let’s make thoughtful, efficient, long-lasting buildings with timeless design that feel good to be in. Let’s take into account the environmental impact and the role design plays in our wellbeing.”

Peter knows at a personal level just how much design enhances joy. With his partner Maureen O’Shaughnessy, also a principal at CS&P, he recently built a chalet in the country for when nothing but a restorative dose of nature will do.

Made of simple, limited materials — the exterior is only corrugated steel and glass — with an interior layout that maximizes light and airflow while protecting against overheating in the summer, the space is used year-round by his family.

“It’s a place where stresses fall away, where the surroundings are almost therapeutic,” he says.

“It’s a quiet retreat to rest and relax. The location is part of that. So is the design, the use of windows and light, the abundance of recycled wood. I love life in the city. But it can be good to get away, too.”

Despite the lure of country living, Peter’s first love remains urban design, and his firm is currently working on its first net-zero energy building, a child care centre for the City of Toronto. He is also interested in the ways in which business spaces are evolving to reflect a more flexible and geographically dispersed workforce. Sustainable design responds to human need, in this case by providing more open and fluid work spaces with less overall square footage, fewer private offices, and more individual choice in physical arrangement. Changes in work culture — such as employees in remote locations — allow individual companies to have smaller footprints, which then permits more density in both new and existing commercial spaces.

Thoughtfully restructured work spaces overlap in many ways with well-designed learning spaces where the needs of the users are built into the surroundings. This is the future of UTS, which Meg and Peter are excited to help shepherd into existence. At the same time, they are each aware that some UTS experiences are timeless.

“I’m guessing many students today will have an experience similar to mine,” says Peter. “I didn’t really appreciate the education I was getting until later in my life. I always knew I had great teachers, but the nature of what I learned became more clear over time. The amount of self-direction handed over to students and the emphasis on learning how to learn was impressive then and continues today. That approach really develops independence and self-confidence.”

Peter recalls a period of time in high school when he wasn’t sure what direction to take in life. He considered medicine, accounting, and the law before deciding that his creativity, talent

for art, and knack for taking things apart made architecture the right choice. Meg took a little longer to reach the same conclusion, first attending McGill for general arts and science before visiting a UTS friend studying architecture and having an aha! moment. Like Peter, though, she has a deep appreciation for her time at 371 Bloor Street West.

“I wasn’t at the top of my class,” she says. “But one thing I love about UTS is that I had no sense of any kind of ranking. My main sensation was of class cohesion and connectedness. We were all in the UTS experience together, and I always felt part of a special community of funny, smart, kind people. The school is still this way, and the rebuild won’t change that.”

But it will change the learning experience in new and interesting ways, while improving the energy performance of the building to the equivalent of the LEED Silver standard and providing a visually striking addition to the neighbourhood. In the meantime, these two visionary architects continue to leave their mark on the city through beautiful and sustainable design. ■

Peter Ortved ’67 and Meg Graham ’89 apply their sustainable design expertise to our renewed school at 371 Bloor Street West as members of the Building the Future Project Steering Committee.

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When a Powerful Engine of Mobility Breaks Down

BY K AREN SUMNER

In his new book, PAUL TOUGH ’85 pulls the curtain back on the American college system to understand why it helps fewer and fewer young people improve their station in life.

PAUL TOUGH’S TIME at UTS was a confluence of divergent forces, as when two rivers join into one body. One stream delivered a stimulating intellectual atmosphere, innovative teaching, and a high degree of autonomy, all of which generated a lasting sense of kinship with the school. Within the other flowed a deep skepticism of education in general, which Paul expressed in a Grade 12 philosophy paper arguing why he should drop out of high school altogether. The two currents seem to be wildly contrary. But then, high school life can be like that.

“I can see the impact of my time at UTS and also at university more clearly having written my recent book,” says Paul. “Spending six years on college campuses, talking to students and professors, gathering admissions and retention data; all of that has helped clarify my own choices and experiences.”

That recent book is The Years that Matter Most: How College Makes or Breaks Us (2019), which argues that higher education in the United States is less and less a powerful engine for broad social mobility and more and more a system that benefits — and elevates even further — the wealthy, talented, and well-connected.

Increasingly viewed as a competitive marketplace, access to college has become more unequal over the past decades — while playing a critical role in how and whether young people succeed.

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Paul has always been drawn to the subject of mobility. In Whatever It Takes: Geoffrey Canada’s Quest to Change Harlem and America (2009), he explored the Harlem Children’s Zone, a social project that asks what it takes for poor kids to compete with their middle-class peers. In How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character (2013), he outlined the ways in which parenting practices, education methods, and social programs can help children in poverty develop specific personal qualities that improve their chances of success. In his career as a journalist — in publications like The Atlantic, Harper’s Magazine, The New Yorker, and The New York Times Magazine — he has written extensively about education, parenting, and poverty.

“ The American system of higher education has the potential to be a powerful engine of mobility, able to reliably lift young people from poverty to the middle class, and from the middle class to affluence. But in reality, for many young Americans, it functions as something closer to the opposite: an obstacle to mobility, an instrument that reinforces a rigid social hierarchy and prevents them from moving beyond the circumstances of their birth.”

— Paul Tough, The Years That Matter Most: How College Makes or Breaks Us (2019)

And now, in The Years That Matter Most, Paul once more asks what it takes for any of us to alter the conditions of our lives, and make the transition from one social or economic class to another.

Combining research with the stories of highachieving young people from low-income families, he illustrates that mobility depends in large part on what happens during a brief period when critical decisions are made about higher education.

One of the ironies of Paul’s life is that his own university choices did not conclude with a degree.

He dropped out of two schools, Columbia and McGill, largely dissatisfied with both. He has since described the incongruity of spending six years immersed in campus life gathering data for his book without having fully lived it himself.

“I applied to Columbia because I was always interested in American social issues and culture, and I wanted to live in New York,” he says. “And 16

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I liked a few of my classes there. But it didn’t feel more intellectually stimulating than UTS had. It felt kind of flat and my fellow students seemed less excited about learning than I experienced in high school. I didn’t really feel like I belonged there. So, I left after the first semester.”

He immediately launched himself on a solo cycling journey from Atlanta to Halifax and then worked as a bike messenger in Toronto before enrolling at McGill, where a number of his UTS friends were studying. But he still wasn’t excited about his learning. He decided to take a five-month internship at Harper’s in 1988, eventually left McGill, and then stayed about a decade at the magazine as an editor.

“Harper’s was a revelation,” he says. “It felt like my community. The days were filled with discussions about books, ideas, politics — plus we were creating something. I spent most of my time as an editor, but I did get a kind of education about how to be a writer.”

Some of that education came from working with Michael Pollan and Jack Hitt, both prolific writers and editors at Harper’s. Paul co-wrote an article for Esquire in 1990 with Hitt that won a Livingston Award, popularly known as the “Pulitzer for the Young,” as it recognizes journalists under age 35. Pollan and Hitt were mentors who helped shape Paul’s sensibility as a writer while he continued work as an editor.

It wasn’t until his 2001 cover story for The New York Times Magazine called “The Alchemy of Oxycontin” that Paul thought to himself, “I can do this.” He was an editor at the magazine at the time, and continued in that role for eight more years, but began researching and writing his first book. He eventually left editing work when he pitched and sold his second book, and he has made a living as an author and speaker ever since.

The Years that Matter Most grew out of a chapter in that second book focused on higher education.

Paul describes the data he uncovered while writing it as “shocking.” Pulling on that thread, he published an article in 2014 called “Who Gets to Graduate?,” which focused on degree completion at the University of Texas (UT) at Austin. Though UT is a competitive school that accepts only highachieving students, the short answer to the article’s pointed question is that rich kids graduate, and poor and working-class kids don’t.

Paul reported that the greatest factor that predicts whether a student graduates from an American college is how much money their parents

make: “About a quarter of college freshmen born into the bottom half of the income distribution will manage to collect a bachelor’s degree by age 24, while almost 90 percent of freshmen born into families in the top income quartile will go on to finish their degree.” This is not an issue of student ability. Rather, “If you compare college students with the same standardized test scores who come from different family backgrounds, you find that their educational outcomes reflect their parents’ income, not their test score.”

That 2014 article became a chapter in Paul’s new book, which reflects and extends his interest in mobility, opportunity, and equity — with higher education as the setting this time. And if Paul felt shocked by what his earlier research revealed, the reader of The Years That Matter Most may be genuinely stunned by the wider, wilder, and darker story it tells about standardized testing, admissions practices, financial aid, getting into college, staying in, and graduating.

Here are a few details: • While the SAT is practically an institution in the US, research — including the College Board’s own research — shows that it favours wealthy students, discriminates against low‑income students, and predicts freshman GPAs less accurately than high school grades.

• Those who get a boost in admissions from the SAT (who score above their high school GPA) are most likely to be affluent white or Asian students.

• Family income has a huge effect on students’ SAT scores, which universities rely on heavily, and almost no effect on their high school grades.

• The colleges that can most easily afford to admit high-achieving low-income students are the ones that admit the fewest.

• American colleges collectively give more institutional aid to students of families that earn over $100,000 per year than to those whose families earn less than $20,000 per year.

• Maintaining an “elite” status as a college depends as much on admitting rich students as high-scoring students.

• Job recruitment on elite college campuses replicates the inequities of admissions processes — top firms base their entry-level hiring decisions not on what students have achieved in college but on the fact of their admission, which reflects their parents’ socio‑economic status.

There is much more, of course. The book depicts the changing landscape of American higher education in detailed brush strokes, revealing a picture of growing social closure, not mobility.

While Paul says that The Years that Matter Most is not a policy book, he does have some thoughts about what needs to change to improve the system.

Highly selective colleges place too much weight on SAT scores; overly favour legacy students, prepschool athletes, and children of donors; and admit too few first-generation black and Latino students.

As a result, their student body is overwhelmingly white and wealthy. At the other end of the spectrum, funding cuts to community colleges and public universities mean fewer options for students looking to raise themselves to a middle-class life.

“I talk to a lot of people at universities who agree about what needs to change,” says Paul. “But those who hold the most power are the least interested in what I have to say. For example, abandoning the SAT and relying on high school grades would make admissions fairer. But it would also mean that wealthy families would receive fewer spots at elite schools. No one wants to give up privilege.”

Yet in a way, that’s exactly what Paul did in walking away from two selective universities — while at the same time heading toward a writing career largely shaped by issues of equity, opportunity, and education.

“I credit UTS with getting me interested in writing, education, and broader social issues,” he says. “Even though I made the case for ditching high school, I saw myself as a bit of a rebel! But the passion for ideas cultivated at that time in my life remains with me.” ■

Paul Tough ’85 at his 2012 book launch at UTS for How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character with the School Captains, Emma Clarke ’13 and Josh Feldman ’13.

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A

B

C

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A Overview of the Excavated Space: A steel structure takes shape in the courtyard, to serve as the frame for future classrooms. On the far wall, shotcrete installation nears completion on the double-gym. To the far left, you can glimpse the angle of the staircase that will connect these spaces with the atrium.

B Reshaped Classrooms: Interior spaces have opened up and are being reinforced and reshaped to meet the needs of our students today and for decades to come.

C Athletic Facilities Take Shape: What was once an empty pit is undergoing a transformation into the double-gym, with new changerooms, cardio/weight rooms, and an impressive staircase that will connect the entire school.

D Music Rooms: Image the acoustics! Come the fall of 2021, the sounds of student virtuosos will ring out here in two new music classrooms. This was formerly the school pool, but don’t worry — UTS students will have access to U of T pools!

E Project Steering Committee: Progress puts a smile on the face of Principal Rosemary Evans as she tours 371 Bloor Street West with the Project Steering Committee: Peter Ortved ’67, Tony Lundy ’79, Chuck Magwood ’61, Tom MacMillan ’67, and Peter Neilson ’71. Not pictured: Committee member Meg Graham ’89.

CONSTRUCTION CORNER THE

transformation of University of Toronto Schools is taking shape before our eyes, and it’s going to be everything we imagined our renewed school could be.

Construction has come a long way since we broke ground on a cold December day in 2018, thanks to the immense support of the entire UTS community for the Building the Future campaign.

Foundations are in place for the new UTS auditorium, courtyard, and gymnasium. Restoration of the Bloor Street heritage facade has been completed and work is underway to erect the exterior structural steel for the above ground construction.

At the time of writing, most construction in Ontario, including our school, has come to a standstill for the safety of workers during COVID-19, as ordered by the Province.

We look forward to the day we can resume construction and continue to build a strong foundation for the future of learning at UTS. ■

D

E

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ANNUAL ALUMNI DINNER THE DRIVE OF reuniting classes to give back

to UTS and have a real impact on the lives of students is an inspiration, UTSAA President Mark Opashinov ’88 told more than 250 attendees at the Annual Alumni Dinner. Alumni near and far from grad classes ending in fours and nines joined UTS staff and School Captains for an evening of great camaraderie at the Marriott Hotel in downtown Toronto on Saturday, November 2, 2019.

Mark also encouraged alumni to explore the benefits of UTS Connect, an online platform that makes it easy for our community to keep in touch.

Principal Rosemary Evans shared the latest on the transformation well underway at 371 Bloor Street West — at the time, the cranes were up, the excavation complete and the foundation was being laid — and gave an overview about the school’s flourishing international and community partnerships, and the latest impressive achievements of UTS students.

Students accomplish so much already, said UTS Board Chair Jim Fleck C.C. ’49, P ’72 , imagine what they will be able to achieve after the school renewal is complete. Congratulating everyone for their generous support of the Building the Future campaign, he gave a special shout out to the UTS Founders in attendance, who gave or raised $1 million or more: Peter Ewens ’79, the Evans family, David Wright ’89 and the First Girls Initiative’s Monica Biringer ’78 and Susy Opler ’79, who led a group fundraising effort to honour of women graduates from the first 10 years of co‑education.

H. Donald Borthwick ’54 was honoured with the H.J. Crawford Award, for his extensive efforts as a former UTSAA Executive Director and President, and for always going the extra mile for the UTS community.

Six presidents of Canadian universities were inducted into the UTS Hall of Fame for their lifelong commitment to advancing education and fostering a love of learning: James Cassels ’73, President, University of Victoria; John Evans C.C. OOnt ’46, P ’75, ’78 , President Emeritus, University of Toronto; Peter George C.M. OOnt ’58 , President Emeritus, McMaster University; Terence Grier ’53, President Emeritus, Ryerson University; Peter Stoicheff ’74, President, University of Saskatchewan; and Thomas Symons C.C. OOnt ’47, Founding President, Trent University.

All in all, it was a night to remember with our community of UTS graduates spanning more than eight decades, coming together to uphold the unique and vibrant traditions that make UTS such an extraordinary place to learn and grow. ■ 20

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ALUMNI NEWS

Alumni News

Notes on the milestones and achievements in the lives of our alumni.

There are plenty of ways to stay in touch! www.utsconnect.ca alumni@utschools.ca @utschools @utschools / @rosemary_evans @utschools

Praised for her student-centred approach, and dedication to resident wellness and faculty learning, the muchlauded Dr. Marion Dove ’84 was appointed Chair of the Department of Family Medicine at McGill University’s Faculty of Medicine in November 2019.

As Chair, Marion oversees the running of the Department, which includes approximately 950 family physicians and a rapidly growing research and graduate education presence. She is building on the department’s strengths in participatory research, health services delivery and policy, and clinical research, while nurturing its training programs. Promoting innovation in medical education, clinical care, faculty development, and continuing medical education also falls under her mandate.

Previously she had served as Associate Chair of the department, and also supervised the Faculty’s largest residency program, with approximately 250 trainees at nine sites. She received the Postgraduate Medical Education (PGME) Program Director Leadership Award in 2018.

The extraordinary life and work of Rabbi Lisa Grushcow ’92

was featured in the New York Times’ Saturday Profile last July. Named one of

“America’s most inspiring rabbis” by The Forward, a prominent American Jewish news publication, Lisa broke new ground as the first female senior rabbi at the Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom in Montreal, and also the first openly gay rabbi of a large synagogue in Canada. Her denomination is Jewish Reform, which accepts gay rabbis and gay marriage.

“Being a divorced and lesbian rabbi and mom deepened my understanding of human experience,” she told the New York Times. “It broadened who I can relate to.”

Prior to taking her post in Montreal in 2012, the Rhodes Scholar was associate rabbi at Congregation Rodeph Sholom on New York’s Upper West Side. She was ordained as a rabbi in 2003 at the Hebrew Union College– Jewish Institute of Religion in New York City.

PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS Maria Cusimano ’07,

a resident physician in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Toronto and a PhD student in Clinical Epidemiology and Health Care Research at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, received the prestigious Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship in 2019. The award supports her studies on the long-term effects of removal of the ovaries on women’s health. Maria was also named one of 10 distinguished Women’s Health Scholars by the Council of Ontario Universities in 2018-19, recognizing research that promotes a stronger health system for women in Ontario.

// Racialized people and racialized land are disproportionately impacted by climate change, so why is climate organizing so white? HyunGu Kang ’16 was featured in the Globe and Mail in November 2019 for a UBCstudent-directed seminar she created on “conversations on race and climate change.” UBC encourages students to create three-credit seminars to address academic gaps, and hers was the first to take place at UBC’s Faculty of Forestry. In this photo, she shares her seminar websites at a forestry conference she co‑organized last summer.

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Alumni News

Kiva Dickinson ’08

is tapping into a growing market of consumer wellness.

He co-founded a boutique investment firm, Selva Ventures, that invests in emerging consumer brands in the food, beverage, beauty, and wellness space.

Based in San Francisco, California, it partners with brands that have less than $10 million in sales, supporting them with the capital and resources they need to scale.

// Playwright and director Kat Sandler ’04 debuted her new play, Yaga, last fall at the Tarragon Theatre in Toronto. Actress Seana McKenna starred as a 60-year-old femme fatale and a person of interest in a small-town whodunit inspired by the notorious fairy tale witch Baba Yaga.

“We’re rediscovering that there is power in age and wisdom and rage and sex and motherhood, and there’s power in retelling the stories that men have traditionally told about us,” said Kat, about the creation of the play.

received an American Society of Hematology’s 2019 ASH Honors award in the Resident Student category. He is currently a resident student at University of Toronto and University Health Network. He earned his A.B. at Harvard University, and a joint M.D. and Master of Health Science at Yale.

Kai Chan ’93

delivered brilliant testimony at a House of Commons Standing Committee in July 2019 about how the world can achieve a transformation toward sustainability.

He passionately summarized the findings of the global assessment report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, carried out by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). As the Coordinating Lead Author, he outlined five key actions the report called for, including going carbon neutral and strengthening environmental policies at home and abroad. Kai is a professor at the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability at the University of British Columbia.

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Dr. Jessica Ware ’95

started her “dream job” as the curator of invertebrate zoology at the American Museum of Natural History in January.

Her purview ranges from dragonflies to grasshoppers, silverfish to firebrats, roaches and more.

She studies the evolution of behavioural and physiological adaptations in insects, with an emphasis on how these occur in dragonflies and damselflies, and insects referred to as Dictyoptera, mainly termites and cockroaches. She is currently president of the Worldwide Dragonfly Association.

Jennifer Andrews ’89 is finishing a

two-year term as the elected President of the Association of Canadian College and University Teachers of English, the primary association for English professors across Canada. In this role, she co-led a webinar funded by the Federation of Social Sciences and Humanities Council of Canada, which explored the implications of defamation law for its 10,000 Canadian members.

Currently, she is writing her third academic book, Through American Eyes: Gillian Butler

Radovan (Alex) Vasic, M.D. ’09

The west entrance of the new design for the Ottawa Public Library and the Library and Archives Canada by co-designers Diamond Schmitt Architects, the firm of Donald Schmitt O.C. ’70, and KWC Architects.

Alumni News

// Directors and choreographers for stage and screen, the Kuperman Brothers — Rick Kuperman ’07 and Jeff Kuperman ’08 — provided fight choreography and stunt work for actor Paul Rudd on the season finale for the Netflix show Living With Yourself, where Rudd’s character has an epic battle with his clone. Their choreography for an off-Broadway musical, Alice by Heart, earned them the Joe A. Callaway Award for Outstanding Choreography. The siblings also recently lent their choreography talents to Cyrano, a musical starring Peter Dinklage with music by The National.

IN PHOTO (LEFT TO RIGHT): Jeff and Rick

Seeing Canada Differently, which is under contract with Palgrave Macmillan, and is in the second term of her role as an elected faculty member on the University of New Brunswick’s Board of Governors.

of the Year by Designlines magazine in Toronto for its innovative passive houses that achieve near-zero emissions and reduced environment footprints, as well as its contributions to the public realm.

See the cover story on page 8.

A stunning modern design of the new joint “super library” for the Ottawa Public Library and the Library and Archives Canada was unveiled by codesigners Diamond Schmitt Architects, the firm of Donald Schmitt O.C. ’70, and KWC Architects. The building’s design, with a stone and wood exterior, draws from Ottawa’s rich history and natural beauty with a dynamic form reminiscent of the nearby Ottawa River.

“They’ve become the cathedrals of our age,” Donald told the Globe and Mail.

The $193 million project is expected to break ground next year.

his third book, La télévision au Québec: Miroir d’une société, (Presses de l’Université Laval, 2019). This essay on the history and current affairs of Quebec television explores how the digital revolution transformed television in the province and how the medium still persists as a mirror of society.

It’s a superkül world, for designers Meg Graham ’89 and Andre D’Elia. Their firm, superkül, was named 2020 Designer

Summerwood/Winterwood, two linked fantasy stories by author and illustrator Elaine Chen ’94, made the CBC list of

LITERARY NEWS Robert Armstrong ’65 has published

30 Canadian young adult and middlegrade books to watch for in fall 2019.

The stories focus on a 12-year-old girl’s dangerous journey into a magical land called Summerwood to save her sister, and how it comes back to haunt her three years later.

Paul Tough ’85

released his fourth book in September, called The Years that Matter Most: How College Makes or Breaks Us. See the feature story on page 14.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24

Interested in joining the Branching Out program to mentor senior UTS students?

Contact Rebecca Harrison for more details: rebecca.harrison@utschools.ca.

UTSAA Annual Alumni Dinner Join us for a grand celebration of our vibrant alumni community at the Annual Alumni Dinner, honouring graduation classes ending in zeros and fives. The reception begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Marriott Downtown Eaton Centre Hotel, with dinner at 7 p.m.

To RSVP, go to www.utschools.ca/rsvp or contact alumni@utschools.ca. For further information, please call 416-978-3919.

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Alumni News

FUTURE ALUM

REUNIONS

Julia Gaudio (née Romanski) ’12 , and

Five members of the Class of 1949 came together for a reunion luncheon at 371 Bloor Street West in January, over seven decades after graduation day!

Jim Fleck, C.C. ’49, P ’72 wouldn’t miss it for the world; he joined via video-call from Florida.

her husband, Joseph Gaudio, welcomed their son Luca Leonard Gaudio into the world on November 11, 2019.

The Class of 1952 celebrated their 67th anniversary at the farm of Ron Garlick. The bucolic setting of the reunion came complete with a sheep herding demonstration by one of Ron’s neighbours!

BRANCHING OUT Several young alumni volunteered for the Branching Out mentorship program, sharing their experiences and advice about university with S6 (Grade 12) students, through 25 mentoring partnerships.

Thirteen young alumni came back to UTS to provide speed mentoring and lead panel discussions about applying and transitioning to university life.

TOP: The Class of 1952 and the sheep herding demonstration at Ron Garlick's farm. BOTTOM: The Branching Out mentorship program in action at UTS.

Show Your UTS Spirit!

utschools.ca/shop 24

THE ROOT | SPRING 2020

Alumni News

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Class of 1954; Class of 1959 reunion organizer Tibor Szandtner, with spouse Elizabeth Szandtner; Class of 1959’s Barry Graham, with spouse Bonnie Graham; Homecoming 2019 (two pictures); alumni volleyball event; Class of 1961 left to right: Doug Adamson, Michael Tinkler, Jon Johnson, Michael Schwartz, Norm Flett, Owen Moorhouse and Bob Vernon (Paul Manley also attended); Class of 1978 with teachers Ornella Barrett and Don Boutros.

and Letters Club in Toronto this past November to reminisce about their days at UTS, and how it shaped their lives.

the good times at the Madison Pub in Toronto, organized by Andrew Hainsworth ’79.

In September, 17 members of the Class of 1959 marked their 60th anniversary at the Thornhill Golf and Country Club.

Another cause for celebration was their successful Building the Future campaign project, which raised $100,000!

Holiday merriment was in abundance as a dozen members of the Class of 1978 — David Allan, Steve Craig, Penny Harbin, Neil McLean, Doug Rankin, John Robson, John Rose, Tim Sellers, Paul Wang, Kemp Watson, John Wilkinson, Michael Wright — celebrated at Toronto’s Wallace Gastropub in December. Teachers Ornella Barrett and Don Boutros also attended.

Calvin Kwok ’12 organized an alumni volleyball game over the holiday season, attended by 13 alumni from the classes of 2011 to 2017, as well as an S6 (Grade 12) student and two “friends of UTS.”

Eight members of the Class of 1961 reunited for a lunch at the historic Arts

The night before the Alumni Dinner, the Class of 1979 reunited to celebrate

Under sunny skies, 25 members from the Class of 1954 gathered to celebrate their 65th anniversary of graduation from UTS at classmate Gord Duncan’s farm.

Those who were unable to attend sent in letters which were read out to delight and applause by the class!

It’s good to come home for the holidays!

Over 65 members of the Class of 2019 joined staff at homecoming in December at the UTS Library at 30 Humbert Street.

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Alumni News

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Alumni at branch events in Waterloo, Montreal, London and Hamilton.

BRANCH EVENTS UTS goes to university: Thanks to Diana Skrzydlo ’01 who launched the 2019–20 UTS branch event season by hosting UTS alumni at the University of Waterloo! It was such a good idea that we visited alumni in Montreal at McGill University, Hamilton at McMaster University, and London at Western University.

IN MEMORIAM

J. BLAIR SEABORN C.M. ’41 1924–2019 A renowned diplomat, dedicated public servant, and family man, J. Blair Seaborn C.M. ’41 passed away in Ottawa at age 95.

In the 1960s, Paul Martin Sr. referred to him as one of Canada’s “ablest diplomats.” Regarded as an expert on communism, Blair spent 22 years in the foreign service with postings in The Hague, Paris, Moscow and Saigon, 26

THE ROOT | SPRING 2020

the latter as Canadian Commissioner for the International Commission for Supervision and Control. In 1965, he was hailed on the cover of Maclean’s magazine as the “Vietnam trouble shooter” for his work, which included a covert mission during the Vietnam war.

Shifting to domestic public service in 1971, Blair enjoyed 19 years in senior federal positions. Promoted to deputy minister at Environment Canada in 1975, his capacity to bring people together instilled a strong sense of corporate identity and mission in the department.

From 1985 until he retired in 1989, he was effectively one of Canada’s top spies, as the Intelligence and Security Coordinator for the Privy Council Office.

He was named a Member of the Order of Canada in 2000.

UTS was a family affair for Blair, following in the footsteps of four of his older brothers: Jack ’27, Bob ’28, Charlie ’33, and Ted ’35 Seaborn. He went on to study political science and economics at the University of Toronto’s

Trinity College, where he also obtained his M.A. after a three-year army stint.

At Trinity, his met his wife, Carol, who passed away in 2011. He leaves behind his son Geoffrey, daughter Virginia, three beloved grandchildren, who affectionately called him “J.B.,” and two great-grandchildren.

Adapted from the Globe and Mail, November 21, 2019.

KAREN O’CONNOR ’81 1963–2019 I first met Karen at UTS in 1975 in Grade 7. I was drawn to her vivaciousness — the way she swooped back her hair, her laugh and frequent hugs. Karen had a way of making people feel good about themselves which attracted many to her.

She remained my bestie throughout UTS. As co-chairs of the dance committee (and without the assistance of iTunes), we used math class to curate four hours

Alumni News

of dance music. Karen did not like discord. She was even-tempered and free of malice, often reminding us of our hidden biases. That didn’t mean she didn’t have opinions. She did, and fiercely so, of people, restaurants, and books — especially books. Karen may have been the fastest reader I ever met, devouring everything from airport bestsellers to Nobel Prize winners. Later at University of Toronto’s Trinity College, while some of us became involved in acting, Karen stage-managed plays, foreshadowing her career in the hospitality industry. A stage manager is the director’s right-hand, and oversees all backstage activity. To be successful, you have to be conscientious, selfless, and somehow likeable too — Karen to a tee. Karen was extremely

generous, and her home was always warm and welcoming. She was an avid traveller with her parents Lenore and Kelly, a loving big sister to Jackie (Stuart) and Joe (Alli) and a doting aunt to Caroline, Sarah, Emily and Luke. A beautiful friend and person through and through, she will stay in our hearts forever.

– Amalia Jimenez ’81 NICOLE STEF ’16 1998–2019 It is with great sadness that we announce the loss of our beloved daughter, sister, and friend Nicole. She was 21 years old. Words cannot describe the extraordinary person she was and

the blessing she brought to our lives.

Nicole spent six years at UTS, graduating in 2016. During her time at UTS, she was passionately involved with DECA, athletics, SHOW, and visual arts. Her high school years were some of the most fulfilling of her life and there she met her greatest friends. After graduation, Nicole had plans to pursue medicine but had to withdraw from university in the first month due to illness and was unable to return.

The last four years of her life she suffered from severe chronic pain, but never gave up her interest in neuroscience, psychology, and activism. She stood up for animal rights, climate and social justice. Perhaps most impressive was her drive to create. She was a talented artist and her art is rich with emotion and beauty. Her dream was not to turn her great talent and passion into a great career, but rather to do something meaningful and help others with it.

A show with her art is being curated for the Keys Gallery at UTS. She was inspirational, not just in her creativity, but also in her strength and ability to communicate raw emotion.

Nicole will be remembered as a shining light in our hearts as she shaped the lives of everyone around her with her passion, humour, and kindness. She will be greatly missed by many.

– Alisha Atri ’16 and Alexandra Birkenshaw ’16 DEREK BATE ’44, P ’71, ’73, ’75, GP ’16 1926–2020 Please see the tribute in the Advancement Report on page 5.

What will you do?

To designate UTS in your will or as a designation for memorial gifts, please contact Martha Drake, Executive Director, Advancement.

416-946-0097 mdrake@utschools.ca

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LOOKING BACK

Among his UTS claims to fame, including teaching generations of UTS students biology, chemistry and physics (1954– 1987), Fred Speed was a prolific artist.

He wrote or co‑wrote nine textbooks, many of which included his illustrations.

Outside of academia, Fred produced sketches, watercolours and cartoons.

This collection was featured in UTS: The First Fifty Years, produced in 1960. Fred passed away in 2008 but, thanks to a labour of love by his daughter, Claire, was the Spring 2019 Keys Gallery artist.

From the fine lines of his lithographs to the friendly laughter that lingered in his classrooms, Fred’s memory lives on in the works he produced and the joy he inspired.