The Root Spring 2023

THE UTS ALUMNI MAGAZINE

SPRING 2023

RICK SPENCE ’73 GOES

BACK TO SCHOOL

THE UNSTOPPABLE LEGACY OF UTS PRINCIPAL ROSEMARY EVANS

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Aaron Dantowitz ’91 PRESIDENT, UTSAA

In July 2011, our class held its 20th reunion. With the help of Carole Zamroutian, then alumni affairs officer, we were fortunate to arrange a weekend tour of the school, culminating in a gathering in the old UTS gym, complete with activities for the children of various ages who had become part of the Class of 1991 family. On the eve of the event, Carole contacted the organizers with a question: would we mind if the new principal, Rosemary Evans, came by to say hello?

And so it was that we met Rosemary for the first time. Barely one week into the job, she spent a summer Saturday afternoon personally welcoming our class back to the school. Going out of her way to meet with us that day set the tone for the relationship that Rosemary has had with UTS alumni ever since. Somehow, on top of her tireless dedication to students, staff and parents, she has always managed to find the time to engage with us like old friends: relaying the school’s latest achievements and challenges at monthly UTSAA board meetings, attending many out-of-town branch events personally and enthusiastically welcoming the involvement of alumni in the life of the school.

We are grateful for how Rosemary profoundly embraced our community, and will miss her immensely as principal when she leaves the post shortly after 12 years of service. But she has developed countless relationships with alumni that will endure. We look forward to welcoming her as an “alumna” herself! **** We are sad to say a different kind of goodbye to Peter Neilson ’71, who passed away recently. You can read more about him in this issue of The Root, but the odds are good that you knew Peter. (See page 26.) He was a shining star of the UTS community, having contributed in innumerable ways over the years, including as a past president of UTSAA (not once, but twice), not to mention as its longest-serving director. We are going to miss Peter a great deal, but are particularly thankful to have been the beneficiaries of his institutional wisdom over the years, and his work in making UTSAA what it is today.

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UNIVER SI

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TORON OF TO

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UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO SCHOOLS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION 371 Bloor Street West, Room 250 Toronto, Ontario M5S 2R7

UTSAA BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT

TREASURER

HONORARY PRESIDENT

Aaron.Dantowitz@utschools.ca

Peter.Frost@utschools.ca

Peter Frost ’63

Rosemary Evans

VICE PRESIDENT

SECRETARY

HONORARY VICE PRESIDENT

Aaron Dantowitz ’91 Laura Money ’81

Adarsh Gupta ’12

Laura.Money@utschools.ca

Adarsh.Gupta@utschools.ca

Jonathan Bitidis ’99

Geoffrey Hung ’93

REvans@utschools.ca

Garry Kollins

GKollins@utschools.ca

DIRECTORS

Phone: 416-978-3919 E-mail: alumni@utschools.ca Web: utschools.ca/alumni Facebook: fb.com/utschools Twitter and Instagram: @utschools

Jonathan.Bitidis@utschools.ca

Geoffrey.Hung@utschools.ca

Aaron Chan ’94

Mark Opashinov ’88

Aaron.Chan@utschools.ca

Hana Dhanji ’05

Hana.Dhanji@utschools.ca

Anne Fleming ’85

Anne.Fleming@utschools.ca

Mark.Opashinov@utschools.ca

Jeremy Opolsky ’03

Jeremy.opolsky@utschools.ca

Bob Pampe ’63

Bob.Pampe@utschools.ca

Avanti Ramachandran ’09 Avanti.Ramachandran@utschools.ca

Morgan Ring ’07

Morgan.Ring@utschools.ca

Tim Sellers ’78

Tim.Sellers@utschools.ca

Jessica Ware ’95

Jessica.Ware@utschools.ca

Julia Pomerantz ’12

Julia.Pomerantz@utschools.ca

UTS acknowledges we are situated on the traditional territory of many Indigenous nations including the Anishnabeg peoples – the Mississaugas of the Credit, and the Chippewa – as well as the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples, which is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. We also acknowledge that the land is covered by Treaty 13 with the Mississaugas of the Credit. We are grateful to honour this land through our dedication to learning and ongoing commitment to Truth and Reconciliation.

CONTENTS 8

BACK TO SCHOOL Has UTS changed? Rick Spence ’73 goes back to school to find out.

12

EXTRAORDINARILY ENGAGED The unstoppable legacy of UTS Principal Rosemary Evans.

16

ENTREPRENEURS. INNOVATORS. DISRUPTORS. Young alumni take the tech world by storm.

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

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

Principal’s Report. . . . . . . . . 4

Alumni News. . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Giving Back. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Mark Your Calendars. . . . . 25

PUBLISHER

DESIGN

ON THE COVER

Martha Drake

PageWave Graphics Inc.

Rich Spence ’73 immerses himself in learning at the modern UTS (top two rows) and UTS Principal Rosemary Evans (bottom row).

MANAGING EDITOR AND STAFF WRITER

Kimberley Fehr EDITOR

Sumner & Lang

PHOTOGRAPHY/ILLUSTRATION

Martha Drake, Kimberley Fehr, Emma Jenkin ’03, Dahlia Katz, Kara Lysne-Paris, Operation Black Vote

PROOFREADER

PRINTER

Morgan Ring ’07

Colour Systems Inc.

ABOVE

UTS Principal Rosemary Evans with David Morley C.M. ’73, the president and CEO of UNICEF Canada, and the keynote speaker at the Southern Ontario Model United Nations Assembly in April, run by UTS students.

CONTRIBUTORS

Our thanks to this issue’s contributors: Peter Buzzi ’77, Martha Drake, Rosemary Evans, John Fautley, Anne Fleming ’85, Ian Rhind ’71, Rick Spence ’73, and 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: 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

Peter Buzzi

Board Chair, UTS

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

Rosemary Evans Principal, UTS

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THE ROOT | SPRING 2023

This is an auspicious time in the history of UTS, and it is a history of our own making.

The challenges our school faced over the last 12 years have been overcome, thanks to the collective efforts of our community and the strength of our leaders. UTS students now learn in our exciting new home, our U of T Affiliation is thriving, the pandemic no longer looms large in school life, and the enthusiasm and accomplishments of our students have never been greater.

As chair of the UTS Board of Directors effective December 2022, I am grateful to take on this role for an institution that has meant so much to me. One of our key objectives in the coming years will be a concerted effort to expand our bursary funds, so finances do not stand in the way of a UTS education for deserving students.

On behalf of the UTS Board, I wish to thank Jim Fleck C.C. ’49, ’72 and UTS Principal Rosemary Evans for their extraordinary legacies to our school. Jim, as board chair from 2013 to 2022, led the massive effort to ensure our future, enabling UTS to inspire generations of students to come. Rosemary, retiring this summer after 12 years as our principal, has led UTS through one of the most tumultuous periods in our history, respecting and strengthening our traditions, while setting us on a path towards greater inclusion through her inexhaustible efforts and deep love for our school.

I would also like to extend a warm welcome to incoming UTS Principal Dr. Leanne Foster, joining our school this August from Trafalgar Castle School in Whitby. Her strong academic credentials, collaborative leadership style and commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion bode well for our future.

Together we will uphold UTS as the illustrious institution that has deeply touched the lives of so many alumni, while driving progress as a forward-thinking, inspiring place for students to learn, innovate and most importantly, to belong.

In my final Principal’s Report for The Root, I wish to express my gratitude to the entire UTS community. It has been such a privilege to work at this wonderful school and to get to know so many people who call UTS “their school.”

Students, staff, parents, alumni and parents of alumni continually impress me with their dedication to UTS. The school inspires remarkable loyalty. Alumni whom I have had the privilege to meet stay connected to their classmates throughout their lives, often telling me that their closest friends came from UTS. Many undertake to give back to “the Schools,” volunteering for Admissions interviews, being mentors and more, always enriching the UTS experience for current students.

UTS students are a joy to work with. They are curious risk-takers who love learning.

That combination means UTS students are interested and interesting. They have a strong sense of justice and do not hesitate to speak up. They are ambitious and strive to make a difference. They are not entitled. They seek to support one another, acting as “buddies’’ and mentors to younger students. These bonds of mutual support and friendship extend across all grades at our school. This sense of connection and commitment goes to the core of what is unique about UTS. Our staff are as special as the students they support. They are devoted to engaging students in meaningful learning in the classroom and beyond. They dedicate vast amounts of time to plan challenging lessons, support student co-curriculars and engage students in experiential learning. They stay connected with students after Graduation and even after they retire. Like our students, they are “UTSers” for life.

UTS parents are fervent supporters of their children and of the school. Like the staff, they devote hours of time to our school. They volunteer, organize social experiences, provide workplace internships and cheer on student talent. They organize Graduation receptions, and they too stay connected even after Graduation.

As I prepare to graduate with the Class of 2023, I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to the entire UTS community. We may be saying goodbye to UTS, but the bonds we’ve forged and the learning we shared will continue to grow throughout our lifetimes.

ROSEMARY EVANS, CLASS OF 2023 The happy news for alumni about Rosemary Evans’ retirement is that she, along with the graduating class of 2023, will officially become a member of the UTS Alumni Association this July. While I say farewell to Rosemary in her capacity as my boss, I get to welcome her as a UTS alumna. Our relationship will continue.

This issue of The Root is truly a tribute to Rosemary. There is the beautiful article about Rosemary written by Kimberley Fehr, as well as the insightful “Back to School” article by alumnus, Rick Spence ’73.

Spoiler alert: Rick’s conclusion is that he would love to join the UTS of today which is Rosemary’s UTS – and he has done so as a mentor.

Even the article by Karen Sumner (who is steeped in UTS lore as the daughter of UTS alumnus Wayne Sumner ’58), about our young alumni taking the tech world by storm, pays tribute to Rosemary’s commitment to fostering innovation at UTS, as many of the alumni graduated during Rosemary’s tenure.

There are many attributes that I admire in our legendary leader – a major one is her commitment to accessibility.

I am truly grateful to Rosemary for permitting us to honour her legacy to UTS with the creation of the Rosemary Evans Bursary and thank all of you who have chosen to celebrate Rosemary with your gifts. I can think of no better tribute to Rosemary than to open the world of UTS to curious students who will thrive in our environment. Students who receive the Rosemary Evans Bursary will join a community that is courageous about being inclusive because that is what Rosemary built during her time at our school.

What fun we all have had with Rosemary over her 12 years at the school in which our sense of community has become closer and more resolute. Flashes of memories conjure happy visits with alumni in faraway places and Rosemary sporting her hard hat and safety wear touring alumni and parents through the building site. Rosemary has been unequivocally there for UTS students in good times and bad, cheering them on and comforting them, and even staying overnight with the S6s (Grade 12s) for Grad Prank!

As we look forward to welcoming Rosemary into the ranks of the UTS alumni, I know you join me in celebrating her legacy to the school. Thank you, Rosemary, for your unwavering commitment to UTS. I’m so glad that you will be able to enjoy the fruits of your labour from the perspective as a UTS alumna and hope you always look back on your time at UTS with joy and immense satisfaction for all you accomplished for our school.

To make a gift to the Rosemary Evans Bursary, go to utschools.ca/rosemary or call David Haisell at 416-978-3919.

Martha Drake

Executive Director, Advancement

Puck drop at UTSAA Hockey Match

Calgary Branch event in 2017 THE UTS ALUMNI MAGAZINE

5

IN SCHOOL Signs of change are on the walls and in the halls at UTS with You Belong Here posters telling all students they have a right to be here.

Equity is becoming our mindset, interwoven into all we do as a school, under the leadership of Dr. Kimberley Tavares, UTS coordinating vice principal, anti-racism, equity, inclusion, access and innovation programs.

“Being part of the senior leadership and having a budget makes it possible to do the work,” says Kim. “When you have a seat at the decisionmaking table, where it counts, you have the opportunity to reflect the diversity of opinion and voice present in the community.”

Over summer 2022, she strengthened our policies on equity and inclusion to serve as the backbone for the work ahead. Fall professional development sessions focused on teaching all UTS staff how to better intervene in the face of racism, look inward to examine their biases and more, while outreach to underrepresented communities continued, aiming to encourage more Black, Indigenous and other underrepresented students to apply.

By December, departments transformed their learning into equity goals such as “empowering students to find their identity and voice, feel safe and seen and be connected and heard.” In January, Hijab Ahmed joined

Kim’s team as senior officer, equity, projects and implementation, helping to guide implementation plans and a system to track our progress. Students took part in an equity, diversity and inclusion survey in February to gauge the current school climate.

Black Equity Committee Executive S5 (Grade 11) Oliad says equity is improving at UTS: more students are talking about it and the number of Black students increased substantially this year to about 15 or 20 students. “As UTS diversifies its student body, hopefully the problem will slowly dissipate and these issues of race are not permanent. In the best sense, I hope we are worrying about these issues now so we don't have to in the near future and as people become more diversified, there will no longer be this separation by parts and the student body becomes whole.”

Fantastic performances and droll antics abounded in the Senior Drama Showcase which held the honour of being the final performance ever in the old auditorium, the John and Margaret Withrow Hall.

The show kicked off with a lively rendition of scenes from The Drowsy Chaperone musical directed

by Drama Teacher Gabrielle Kemeny with Music Director Shreya Jha ’16. Next came some theatre of the absurd with an adaptation of Sure Thing by David Ives, also directed by Gabrielle and then scenes from Cheque Please by Jonathan Rand, directed

by Drama Teacher Janice Keene.

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THE ROOT | SPRING 2023

In School

The UTS Timeraiser Startup Accelerator enjoyed record participation this year, with 36 aspiring student entrepreneurs and 30 alumni and parent volunteer mentors taking part. Six teams made it to the hybrid pitch finals in the Lang Innovation Lab, vying for mentorship time, as well $500 in seed funding from judges Ilse Treurnicht P ’04, ’07, Gavin Pitchford ’76, Jannis Mei ’13, Jasmine Kara ’08, Karl Schabas ’96, Truc Nguyen ’01 and Ying Soong P ’27. Students 4 Students, created by M4s (Grade 10s) Avi and William to make after-school educational, sports and cultural programs more affordable and accessible for youth, won the $500. New this year are Diverse Entrepreneurship Meetups. The first guest speaker, Andrew Bromfield, president of Formative Innovations, said: “If you want to succeed at a high level in anything you do, you have to have the confidence to take that buzzer shot. How do you build confidence? Practice.”

Operation Black Vote partnered with UTS to build the debating skills of 12 Black youth with high potential from across the country, as part of the organization’s mission to increase Black representation in the political arena.

For six weeks, the UTS Speech and Debate team worked with the youth to prepare for the inaugural 1834 Fellowship Youth Debate tournament at UTS in February, where the youth debated key policy areas such as policing in schools, affirmative action and social media legislation. Danika, a student at B.C.’s University of the Fraser Valley who was named Top Senior Speaker, says not only did it improve her public speaking and critical thinking skills but, “I met and debated with other youth of incredible talent and potential, and look forward to applying the skills in my professional life and staying in touch with the many wonderful people I met.”

Special guest MPP Mitzie Hunter (Scarborough-Guildwood) inspired participants by urging them to speak their truth and stand up for what they want to see in the world. This is the beginning of what we hope will be an ongoing partnership.

It was a night to remember as the beautiful music of Nocturne filled the expanse of our stunning new Withrow Auditorium for the first time.

S6 (Grade 12) Curtis made his conductorial debut guiding the sublime performance of his original composition, Eridanus, and S6 Michael delivered a moving performance of the Dragonetti Bass Concerto in A Major accompanied by orchestra, conducted by Sarah Shugarman.

These were two of many highlights of this annual performance of top‑tier UTS musical talent, produced by the Senior 6 music class.

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

THE UTS ALUMNI MAGAZINE

7

BACK TO SCHOOL

BY RICK SPENCE ’73

I

was nervous as a kid on the first day of school. On a Tuesday morning in January 2023, I found myself back at UTS, the school I graduated from 50 years ago. But this wasn’t the school I remembered.

Physics Teacher Shawn Brooks was standing in front of a giant monitor, teaching not from a textbook, but from videos, interactive lessons and even a cartoon from Waterloo’s Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics. Where my 1970s UTS demanded solo learning in orderly rows, these students rearranged their desks into conversation blocks of four, six or eight. Where silence reigned when our teachers spoke, this room buzzed as students mentored each other and even jumped ahead while Mr. Brooks reviewed electrical circuits.

At least the physics hadn’t changed. V still equals ir.

Over three days, I would learn that UTS still values intelligence, ambition and achievement. But that’s no longer enough, and I was delighted to find today’s school also champions creativity, collaboration and inclusion. In just the third hour of my residency, I wrote in my notebook, “Wish I could go to this school.”

My field trip began last September at the Homecoming event in the new Withrow Auditorium marking the school’s return to 371 Bloor Street West. As a stage full of VIPs cut the ribbon on the new building, I wondered what it would be like to attend 8

THE ROOT | SPRING 2023

classes here, now. So, I approached Martha Drake, executive director, advancement, with a ridiculous proposal: that I, a member of the Class of 1973, return to the school and spend three days with the S6 (Grade 12) class of 2023.

To my surprise, everyone said yes.

As a journalist of four decades, I’ve covered business, innovation, climate change, avalanches and woolly mammoths.

I never thought the most dramatic story of my career would come from going back to high school.

Let me share my field notes with you, and yes, this will all be on the test.

PHYSICS Day 1, a Tuesday, started in Mr. Brooks’ third-floor physics lab, ringed with new cupboards and shiny sinks. I was delighted to find this class reviewing electric circuits – a subject I partly understand.

First observation: my notepad looked pretty sad in an alllaptop classroom. Second observation: laptops transform education. Mr. Brooks took up the homework questions using an online multiple-choice quiz. This instant feedback helps him gauge the class’s progress, spot troublesome concepts and see how many people skipped the homework. There’s just no hiding any more.

From there, Mr. Brooks used the giant screen to play explanatory videos, do group exercises and explore new ideas. Case in point: the Perimeter video, which revealed that it’s not the flow of current that lights a light bulb in a closed circuit, but the electrical/magnetic field the current generates. “The energy source is outside the flow,” says Mr. Brooks. “Most people don’t know this.”

So much for my theory of physics being an ever‑fixed mark.

Toward the end of the 80-minute class, Mr. Brooks reviewed vexatious problems, asking students to try to explain where they made their mistakes. I liked this question. It enables students to see where slip-ups begin – and positions those errors not as glaring missteps, but part of the journey.

MUSIC Once, this room was the shallow end of the swimming pool. Now it’s drenched in music, with a dozen students warming up on drums, electric guitar, bass, cello, trumpet and piano.

I’m attending S6 music composition. Today, UTS Expressive Arts Department Coordinator Sarah Shugarman, also a music teacher, says the class will practice three student-written pieces to debut at the Nocturne musical showcase in February. “A real beast of a day,” she says. But in the end, we got through just one piece. The experience was too beautiful to stop.

As the students glanced over the sheet music of a composition written by Curtis, a trumpet player wearing a Marvel sweatshirt, Ms. Shugarman dropped a bombshell on him: “Do you want to conduct?” Curtis wasn’t expecting this chance so soon. When he shyly says yes, Ms. Shugarman’s smile lights up the room. She pulls out her baton, demonstrates the classic 1-2-3-4 gestures, then solemnly hands him the baton. Sensing the occasion, a cello player asks Curtis: “Do we have to bow to you now?”

Over the next hour, Curtis transforms from nervous rookie to composed conductor. His classmates offer advice and encouragement, and actively co-revise his arrangements. Ms. Shugarman, using her violin to play the flute part, says, “You got this.” By the end of class, Curtis is fully in charge, advising one classmate she’s “coming in an eighth-note early,” and telling the whole group that “the crescendo could be bigger.” This is not the teacher-student dynamic I remember.

At one point, Curtis pulls off a stunning double play – playing the trumpet (with his right hand) while conducting with his left. I dropped music after one year on the clarinet. But in my notepad, I write, “If you want people to learn to be resilient, creative, collaborative, confident – teach music.”

Afterwards, I chatted with Curtis about his piece, which he wrote last summer. He expects to go into science and engineering, but hopes that “music will always be a big part of my life.”

He says he based his piece, on Antonín Dvor̆ák’s Ninth – fittingly, the New World Symphony.

Interdisciplinary Art and Design class in the Lang Innovation Lab

LUNCH Bright new classrooms, fabulous auditorium, double gym – and in lieu of a lunchroom, the new UTS offers many informal spaces, comfy chairs, benches and tables designed to encourage casual connection. I take a seat among the lively young crowd on the Fleck Atrium’s Learning Stairs, the school’s new community meeting space. One of the things you notice is that no one has to eat alone.

INTERDISCIPLINARY ART AND DESIGN This class took place not in the expansive new art rooms overlooking Bloor Street, but in the main-floor Lang Innovation Lab, a tool-filled showcase for design and technology.

Today’s assignment: use Adobe Illustrator to create a distinctive design for a thin coaster to be laser-cut out of cork. It’s step one of a project that will see these students designing a giant mural

Rick Spence ’73 braves a history test.

THE UTS ALUMNI MAGAZINE

9

things,” she says. “You’ll be helping others as well as yourself.”

WRITERS’ CRAFT Having focused on novels and genre fiction last fall, this class is now studying screenwriting.

English Teacher Sandeep Sanghera is exploring questions writers might ask to flesh out a story idea. Today’s premise: a famous writer falls down in Rome, and loses the use of his arms and legs.

Breaking the 15 students into groups, she asks: “Where could you take this idea?” I sit in a group with Josie, Jaya and Nicole. We produce 40 boffo questions. Examples: “Was it an accident or not?” “Was someone trying to prevent him from writing?”

This being UTS, the next group had 76 questions.

Students then had 30 minutes to explore their own stories under the title “My story is about…”

This is a free-association exercise developed by screenwriting guru Syd Field. “Don’t be afraid to produce three or four pages of horrible writing in order to gain the clarity you need,” Ms. Sanghera says cheerily.

THE CO-CURRICULAR EXPERIENCE

TOP: Canadian and International Law class BOTTOM: Advanced Placement (AP) Research

10

promoting diversity and inclusion throughout the hallways of UTS. “This project is going to involve the elements of design thinking,” says Visual Arts Teacher Robin Michel. “Empathy, ideation, prototyping, feedback, planning, more feedback, development, manufacturing and iteration.” I love that UTS is teaching design thinking, a powerful but practical problem-solving metric people can use all their lives.

Case in point: when one student complained she found the lab stools uncomfortable, Ms. Michel responded, “Think like a designer” – and turned a stool upside-down. She quickly observed that the depth of the seatback depended on a single butterfly screw. “Never be afraid to try to fix

THE ROOT | SPRING 2023

At 3:30 p.m., I sample co-curricular events. At the Varsity Boys basketball game in the bright, new McIntyre Gymnasium, I spent 10 minutes watching our Blues get outscored and outplayed by the Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto.

But later I learn our team pulled together to win their first game of the season, 55-52. I left the game early to attend a meeting of the Gender Equity Committee. UTS is prioritizing equity and inclusion, so these nine students have their hands full, planning events such as lunchtime video showings, a gender-neutral getaway, and the Strawberry Ceremony for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls that takes place February 14 (planned in partnership with the UTS Indigenous Solidarity Committee).

Then I returned to the Lang Innovation Lab to meet the latest members of the UTS entrepreneurship program, the Timeraiser Startup Accelerator, where students are preparing to pitch for mentorship time from alumni and parent volunteers, as well as $500 in seed funding.

When Dr. Cresencia Fong, the UTS head of innovation and research, mentions they’re looking for alumni mentors, I volunteer. (Never too late to give back!)

QUICK RECAP OF THE NEXT TWO DAYS My next two days of school are like the first: struggling to keep up; admiring the rock-solid trust between teachers and students; and marvelling at the varied ways UTS students learn to shape the future.

WEDNESDAY ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP) RESEARCH

A high-achieving group of scholars discuss the independent research projects which may earn them university-level credits in Dr. Maureen McCarthy’s class. The topics are ambitious: Effective Accommodation for Students with Mental Health Issues, How Social Media Content Warnings Affect the User Experience, and Waste Management Decisions: How People Separate their Trash. As the students discussed writing up their survey questions, I got to suggest a few wording improvements.

I felt useful at last.

“Ask yourself, what would help you right now? You have to advocate for what you need.”

“You are not alone. Let’s be there for each other.” (It was heartwarming to see the students cheer each other on as they sang.)

Finally, when you’re in a tight spot, just breathe: “When we are not breathing machines, we are not thinking machines.”

AP BIOLOGY

Teacher Elizabeth Straszynski begins the class with a scavenger hunt designed to help students understand DNA coding. She tells me she works hard to find group activities: “If I stood up and lectured this, they’d tune me out in a minute.” She also identifies another reason these exercises are so valuable: “You learn the power of groups. One of the results of a UTS education should be that you come out as an incredible communicator, collaborator and leader.”

MATHEMATICS OF DATA MANAGEMENT

Stats for humanities students, this course lost me at “confidence interval.” The students spent most of the class finishing an assignment, while Math Teacher Cassandra Postma wandered the room to chat and answer questions. Later, she explained how she engages artsies to care about math – she has them work with meaningful data sets, such as rates of water contamination in Canada’s Indigenous communities. “I put real issues behind it, so they can see why stats matter.”

CANADIAN AND INTERNATIONAL LAW

The focus today is Charter rights and free expression. Teacher Rebecca Levere says there’s no textbook, so she picks the relevant cases and studies herself. “It’s a lot more work” for teachers, she says, but the results are worth it.

WORLD HISTORY SINCE THE 15TH CENTURY

I knew the students were writing a test this class, so as a history buff I volunteered to take it. Big mistake. Teacher Dr. McCarthy gave a 90-minute test on one subject: the history of the Haitian Revolution (1791-1804), now considered the most successful slave rebellion in the Western Hemisphere. In 90 minutes, I managed to write about 400 words, mainly apologizing for assuming too much.

THURSDAY DRAMA CLASS

A dozen students in Gabrielle Kemeny’s drama class gathered in the old UTS gym, now the Jackman Theatre, to rehearse the musical, scenes from The Drowsy Chaperone, which will be part of the Senior Drama Showcase in February. Today, guest instructor Canadian soprano and actress Xin Wang is putting students through their paces, while giving memorable life lessons: “If you feel shy, don’t show it. You can’t change the way you think, but you can change the way you feel and look.”

AP ENGLISH

English Teacher David Cope leads an eloquent, thoughtful class discussion on Top Girls, a 1982 play about changing values and social roles in Margaret Thatcher’s Britain. What happened to Hamlet?, I wondered. During a solo-study portion of the class, I ask David about the role of the classics. “We still teach the old stuff, but we pay attention to perspectives and problems we might not have seen before,” he explains. “For instance, in M4 (Grade 10) we paired Othello with a more contemporary play, Disgraced, which explores the treatment of Muslim Americans.” (Disgraced won a 2015 Tony Award for best play, showing how even the classics are changing.)

PHILOSOPHY QUESTIONS AND THEORIES

In my final class, students do all the talking. S5 (Grade 11) Layla delivers a presentation on stoicism that asks, “What would Marcus Aurelius think about opinions on social media?”

(Answer: not much.) After that, two two-person teams debate abortion – complete with rebuttals – and then two more teams take on euthanasia. Having demonstrated that there are no easy answers, teacher Vince Dannetta dismisses the class without further comment. Earlier, he let Marcus Aurelius do the talking for him: “Don’t get worked up about things you can’t control.”

I left the school filled with hope. The knowledge my school prized 50 years ago is now a commodity. As change accelerates, what matters now are qualities such as judgment, problemsolving, resilience, empathy and trust. UTS is on track.

Confident and creative, this year’s grads face a future with more hope of prosperity and justice than my class did. But they’ll also face problems we can’t imagine, that no experts can prepare them for. I am optimistic for the “New World” they will build.

As Marcus Aurelius likes to say, “The universe is change; our life is what our thoughts make it.” ■ THE UTS ALUMNI MAGAZINE

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EXTRAORDINARILY ENGAGED THE UNSTOPPABLE LEGACY OF UTS PRINCIPAL ROSEMARY EVANS

BY KIMBERLEY FEHR

Principal Rosemary Evans in the old chemistry lab

I

f a principal could be everywhere at once, and know everything that was going on, her name would be Rosemary Evans.

She showed up full of UTS spirit in running shoes, ready to race on House Track Days. She wore a hard hat, orange vest and steel-toe boots to oversee the progress on our new school building. She roasted marshmallows by the campfire with students at Camp Wanakita, and went down in the dunk tank at our students’ annual Fajita Fiesta. From New York City to Beijing to London, U.K. and beyond, she met with hundreds of alumni around the world.

Not only did Rosemary know most of nearly 700 students by name during each of her 12 years at University of Toronto Schools (UTS), she often knew their interests and cocurriculars. A former history teacher, she brings her historian’s mind to work – she’s a veritable encyclopedia of UTS alumni.

“Rosemary is able to keep a finger on the pulse of the entire alumni network to know who’s doing what and offering valuable connections that help us make progress,” says UTS Speech and Debate Coach Kieran Kreidie-Akazaki ’17.

From addressing hot topics at UTS Parents’ Association (UTSPA) meetings to listening deeply to staff and seeking solutions together, to attending school events such as the Girls in Tech Conference, she has been an omnipresent force at UTS, always showing up with an openness and refreshing candor, ready to listen, learn and resolve any issue – all for the love of our students.

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YOU UNDERSTAND SHE UNDERSTANDS “Any time I talked to her about the struggles students faced, I left the room feeling thankful, thinking, I understand she understands,” says former UTS co-captain Jaden Lo ’21.

“She is so graceful, it feels like she really empathizes with the students. It’s easier said than done. Ms. Evans handles all the logistics of managing a school among thousands of other tasks, and still devotes that time to invest in us. She has so much faith in UTS.” An unassuming persona in a navy-blue skirt, twin blazer and small crossbody purse, Rosemary could often be seen walking the halls at UTS. “Her hallway walks were iconic,” says Jaden, “Strolling with a purpose is one way to describe it as she sought to connect with the school community.”

SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION This spirit of collaboration – her openness and transparency – enabled Rosemary to bring so many together for the good of our school. Under her leadership, the UTS-University of Toronto Affiliation Agreement was renewed, and we surpassed our $60 million campaign goal to refurbish our historic school.

She also steered UTS through the unprecedented days of the COVID-19 pandemic, to bring us home to the future.

When Rosemary began in July 2011, she knew the University planned to end the UTS affiliation, which would mean our school would soon need a new home and a new name. She dove in with deep determination, tirelessly seeking solutions, having

conversations and building relationships. She convinced the illustrious Jim Fleck C.C. ’49, P ’77 to become her partner in leadership as the UTS board chair, bringing along his strong university connections and utmost love for our school.

A STRONG, ENDURING PARTNERSHIP With the advent of the renewed affiliation agreement in 2015, Rosemary was tasked with redefining the relationship in tandem with Cheryl Regehr, U of T’s vice president and provost since 2013.

“Rosemary came to the task with incredible enthusiasm, embracing the opportunity for a new vision and seeing the possibility in it,” says Cheryl. “Now, there’s this really strong, enduring partnership and the connections between UTS and U of T are deep and broad so it’s not a singular relationship, but one that flourishes with faculties across the University.”

From the Bright Lights in the Lab camp, which is a collaboration between UTS, the Firefly Foundation and U of T Collaborative Program in Neuroscience, to partnerships with the I-Think Team at U of T’s Rotman School of Management, to the longstanding work with Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) Master of Teaching program and more, Rosemary expanded the breadth and depth of our school’s U of T partnerships for mutual benefit.

She also scaled up pre-existing partnerships such as the Global Ideas Institute at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, which brings together high school students to develop innovative solutions to complex real-world problems.

“Rosemary insisted that we needed to do a better job of reaching public schools, and specifically those in underserved areas because she believed the Global Ideas Institute had the opportunity to level the playing field,” recalls U of T VicePresident, International Joseph Wong, who founded the program in 2010 as a Munk School professor with Michaele Robertson, the UTS principal at the time. “Rosemary was absolutely instrumental in helping us think through how we could actually achieve this.”

Now the Institute attracts students from over 20 schools, including international schools.

A UTS FOR THE WHOLE STUDENT Joseph recalls many conversations with Rosemary about her vision for UTS. “She takes big swings,” he says. “She has the whole student in mind. From her perspective, a humanities approach was just as critical as the STEM disciplines. It might have been an uphill battle, given the natural strengths and reputation of the school but Rosemary did a tremendous job of really putting students’ intellectual and academic development first and foremost.”

Part of this included her being what Joseph calls a “champion of wellness and resilience” at the “forefront” of conversations around student mental health before and during the pandemic.

Dr. Maureen McCarthy, UTS Canadian and World Studies department coordinator, says that in the decade since Rosemary

arrived, the school has evolved: “There is a greater sense that being smart is not all that’s important. The school is thinking more deeply about our students’ mental health and social development.”

The level of support for students increased substantially during Rosemary’s tenure, says Garth Chalmers, vice principal of senior school, with the hiring of social workers, increasing the number of guidance counsellors, integrating guidance into day-to-day student life and supporting students with learning differences.

“UTS used to be more of a one-size-fits-all approach,” says Garth. “Rosemary really moved us as a school in a direction of providing support for every student and recognizing they all may learn differently, and being considerate of that. That’s a huge area of growth that happened under her watch.”

Rosemary with UTS donors Satoko Shibata and Richard Ingram ’61, and Martha Drake, executive director, advancement, in fall 2022 as the couple signs their agreement to establish a new bursary at UTS, the Newton Bursary for Black Students.

LIF TING OUR SPIRITS Rosemary’s pandemic response illustrates so well how good she is, Garth adds. “She guided us through when there were so many unpredictable unknowns and parents saying what we should do. She drew the line and said, ‘We are going to follow the Toronto Public Health guidelines.’ We hardly wavered from that and it got us through.”

In the darkest pandemic days, Rosemary would start meetings in such a positive way, lifting the spirits of everyone with the progress of our new building and student achievements, says Dr. Fei Song P ’24, ’26, UTS Parents’ Association (UTSPA) co-president from 2020 to 2022. “Even though I wasn’t able to step into the school and see what’s going on, I felt given the opportunity to know how my children and the school are thriving. Rosemary was instrumental in holding the UTS community together during COVID.” Rosemary became a mentor to Flora Chen P ’21, ’23, ’26, who served as UTPSA co-president from 2017 to 2019. “She would always listen to my ideas so patiently, it boosted my comfort level about providing suggestions to the school. I learned so much in terms of how to communicate and talk to people, but most importantly, empathy.”

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PHOTO: Dahlia Katz

TOP LEFT CLOCKWISE: Lunch party on the first day of the 2015-26 school year in the old building; UTS Day of Pink in 2016; Partners in UTS, Jim Fleck C.C. ’49, P ’72 and Rosemary at the launch of the Building the Future campaign; Vice Principal Garth Chalmers, actor Simu Liu '07 and Rosemary at a 2017 Assembly in the old school building; and touring UTS construction with the Project Steering Committee.

A CALL FOR INCLUSION There are moments when this empathy shines through.

In the early pandemic as the Black Lives Matter movement gained momentum, students hosted the UTS Anti-Racism Panel with former UTS co-captain, Taylor Shirtliff-Hinds ’17, as one of the speakers.

“I was reflecting on racism I had experienced at the school that I hadn’t fully processed or even talked about,” recalls Taylor, now completing a MSc in neuroscience at Oxford.

“In those vulnerable moments, Rosemary really listened and seemed to take it to heart. Since then, I’ve seen her commitment grow to equity and outreach into different communities that represent the beautiful diversity Toronto has to offer.”

After the panel, students and alumni presented recommendations to Rosemary to improve anti-racism, equity, diversity and inclusion at UTS and by the end of the summer, it became the school’s foremost strategic initiative. Today, equity has become our mindset as school-wide efforts to foster a true culture of inclusion continue to take root and grow.

A CHAMPION OF CHANGE Rosemary’s equity work at UTS represents a culmination of a career as a driver of change and a champion of inclusion.

Rosemary grew up in the Oshawa of the sixties – and still has friends from her grade-school days. Leaving the auto town to study history at Western University was in one word: “liberating.”

At age 19, she married Michael Evans, who became a professor and eventually the chair of U of T’s Department of Statistical Sciences. She went on to do a Master’s in history at U of T on a Canada Council scholarship, before studying teaching, and later earning her MBA in organizational design, both at U of T. 14

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For her first teaching role at Mississauga’s TL Kennedy, a school that served about 70 different national groups, Rosemary planned an annual week of activities related to what was then called multiculturalism, with events like a potluck lunch for 1,500 and guest speakers such as famed lawyer Eddie Greenspan. “It showed me what a school community could do when everybody worked together towards a common goal of appreciating diversity and belonging.”

Next, she became head of the History Department at Brampton Centennial during a time of mass immigration into the area, charged with helping teachers who’d been used to a more homogenous population adjust their curriculum and mindset to the increasingly diverse community.

Later, as head of academics at Branksome Hall for 12 years, she led the school’s educational transformation to the International Baccalaureate program.

FULL CIRCLE AT UTS Throughout her career, Rosemary had applied to work at UTS; with her success at Branksome, UTS sought her out.

Becoming UTS principal was like coming full circle. As a student teacher, her first practicum was at UTS with History Teacher Mike Gendron. A young, female teacher in an allboys school, Rosemary says it was a time when UTS students “took quite a bit of glee in making life challenging for student teachers” but she took it in stride by making lessons more demanding.

She found herself back at UTS again when she was vice principal at East York Collegiate, teaching at OISE in the summers, and then full-time for the 1998-99 school year on secondment.

TOP LEFT CLOCKWISE: John Polanyi C.C. ’45, Meric Gertler, president of the University of Toronto, and Rosemary; New York City Branch event at the home of actress/writer Winsome Brown '90; Rosemary pictured with her husband Michael Evans, chair of U of T’s Department of Statistical Sciences and her daughter, Heather, a fellow in hepatology at the Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, Francis Family Liver Clinic; with Angela Vemic, the first director of the Eureka! Research Institute @ UTS.

EMPOWERING TEACHERS TO BUILD KNOWLEDGE As the new principal, one of Rosemary’s visions for UTS was to truly integrate teacher education and research into the school.

She had a meeting of minds with UTS donors Richard Ingram ’61 and Satoko Shibata, and together they established the Eureka! Research Institute @ UTS in 2017, which was permanently endowed by the couple in 2020 with a $4.1 million gift.

To launch the Institute, Rosemary worked with OISE’s Dr. Angela Vemic, the Master of Teaching program’s research coordinator, who became the Institute’s first director.

“Eureka helped not just OISE but the broader University have a more formal relationship with UTS, which was very significant for both to see the potential for growing that relationship, learning from each other and creating space for collaborative conversations and research,” says Angela.

Satoko shared her ideas about how the Institute’s work could help improve teaching in her native country of Japan with Rosemary, who rolled out her networks to launch a new international partnership for UTS in Japan.

“Once Rosemary decides to do something, she’s very fast,” says Richard. “And she implements what she promises to do so perfectly,” adds Satoko. “Her networking ability is amazing – she does it just right, not aggressively but quietly. We just love her.”

VALIDATED AND SEEN This ability to engage so meaningfully helped Rosemary bring the UTS community closer together. UTS Alumni Association President Aaron Dantowitz ’91 says, “She’s one of those people who communicates to everyone that she’s very interested in them. When she’s talking to them, they are the total focus of her attention. That’s a real skill, and a large part of why she’s so successful as a leader.”

Teacher Jameel Baker recalls his first conversation with Rosemary in fall 2020, where she shared feedback from F1 (Grade 7) parents about “how their children never loved drama until UTS ignited a new passion in them. I left that conversation feeling very affirmed. Being a new employee in a new environment during the pandemic, I felt very validated and definitely seen.”

Adam Gregson recalls how Rosemary put her faith in him, making him Math and Computer Science department coordinator early in his teaching career. “Rosemary gets everyone moving in the same direction – she sees what the issues are and what the strengths are. If I want genuine advice, she is one of very few people I would ask.”

A front-row witness to Rosemary’s tireless work ethic is Murray MacMillan, her executive assistant. “When trying to solve a problem, she interrogates the ideas. She goes home and reads everything she could find about the issue, talks to everyone, and keeps pushing, pushing, pushing until she finds the solution that solves the problem.”

Rosemary never becomes overcome, says UTS Board Director Susan French. “She rides with the issues and deals with them.

She’s what I call a true leader.”

Jim Fleck remembers how Rosemary sought him out following a fateful Class of 1953 luncheon. “We became a perfect team,” he recalls, “synonymous with UTS, working together to achieve a reestablished long-term relationship with the University of Toronto and bringing new life to a 110-year old institution.”

Rosemary showed up every day with inexhaustible energy, driven by a passion for UTS and all it stands for, he says.

“She was the right principal at the right time, exactly what the school needed when we needed it and because of her, the UTS spirit will live on for generations to come in our new, historic home.” ■ THE UTS ALUMNI MAGAZINE

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Entrepreneurs.

Innovators.

Disruptors.

TAKING THE TECH WORLD BY STORM From tackling issues related to artificial intelligence and financial wellness to influencing the way we use media and the Internet, UTS grads of the 2000s are shaping our current and future lives in fascinating ways. Meet five young alumni pursuing unique paths through the exciting and turbulent world of cuttingedge technologies.

BY KAREN SUMNER

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BATTLE AGAINST THE BOTS

Edward Tian ’18

— Fourth-year Princeton University student Edward Tian ’18 spent this past winter holiday break back in Toronto pondering the explosive arrival of ChatGPT on the scene. The interactive chatbot powered by machine learning had been making waves on campus for its ability to answer questions, write essays, create poetry and fiction, and much more, with natural-sounding, humanlike output.

While earning a computer science major and journalism minor and working as a staff writer for The Daily Princetonian, Edward had also been conducting research in Princeton’s Natural Language Processing Lab on AI-written text.

While home in Toronto, he spent a few days creating GPTZero, an online tool that detects whether a document was AI-generated or written by a human being. The user receives a determination along with a “perplexity” score (a measurement of the randomness of the text) and a “burstiness” score (a measure of the variation in perplexity).

Edward released his app on New Year’s Day, tweeted about it on January 2 and awoke January 3 to a worldwide demand for his work. In February, he appeared on CNN with Anderson Cooper.

“I view technology as a tool that can be used to improve the world,” says Edward. “Given the pervasiveness of AI, we need to know where and how it is used. GPTZero helps people to detect and safely adopt AI technologies.”

Fellow UTS grad Alex Cui ’16 soon joined Edward as CTO and co-founder. With over three million users of GPTZero, they’re working together to provide an accessible, robust detection model that they are committed to keeping free, with no barriers to access.

A former BBC journalist who focuses on immigration and refugee issues in addition to online mis/disinformation movements, Edward credits UTS with helping him develop both a technical foundation and an interest in global affairs.

“After graduation, my plan is to work at the intersection of technology and journalism,” he says.

“ I learned to just focus on my own path, instead of others’. What is my own direction?

What do I love?”

FINANCIAL HEALTH FOR ALL

Emily Luk ’11 —

Emily Luk ’11 isn’t afraid of hard work. Beneath what she calls the “excitability” of her personality lies a deeply thoughtful approach to an active and productive life.

“When I arrived at UTS, I realized I wasn’t the best at anything,” she says. “There are always people more accomplished or talented than you.

And that’s one of the healthiest things you can learn, early. I learned to just focus on my own path, instead of others’. What effort am I making? What is my own direction? What do I love? I pursued anything that interested me: science, history, finance, swim team, book club. And that led me to where I am today.”

Emily is cofounder and CEO of Plenty, an AI-powered investment platform that makes the financial products of the wealthy accessible to everyone else. “Plenty’s unique multiplayer

Alex Cui ’16 and Edward Tian ’18 were invited to the ASU+GSV Summit, where Bill Gates was the keynote speaker.

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functionality makes it easy for couples to manage their money together,” she says. “Our softwarefirst approach increases the affordability of financial services.” Her dream is for Plenty to be a platform that enables everyday families to reach financial freedom.

Before founding Plenty, Emily led finance, strategy and business opportunities at Even (now acquired by One) and was an early growth/finance and strategy team member of Stripe. At the same time, she earned her CPA and CFA during early mornings and weekends. Even when she was at UTS, and while earning a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Toronto, Emily was itching to establish herself in the working world.

“My parents are immigrants and entrepreneurs,” she says. “They always wanted me to be wellrounded, and so it was at UTS that I learned the power of being a generalist. The best jobs are not always specialist jobs!”

success five years later. I could relate to being new to computer science and nervous about trying it out.”

At Waterloo, the co-op program helped Audrey deepen her learning experiences with six internships and a study abroad term at Trinity College in Dublin. Internships at big tech companies like Microsoft and Meta (formerly Facebook) allowed her to experience life in cities such as Seattle and New York City while working on a wide range of exciting technologies. She also served as chair of Waterloo’s Women in Computer Science undergraduate committee, which is dedicated to supporting women in the field.

Audrey’s enthusiasm for profound learning experiences has paid off. She accepted a full-time software engineering position in New York City, returning to PDT Partners where she completed one of her internships. PDT is a quantitative investing company that takes a rigorous scientific, systematic and model-driven approach to investing.

“I take great happiness from learning, meeting people and working toward a shared goal,” she says. “That’s what I loved about my extracurriculars at UTS and at university – being able to work closely together and learn from each other.

PDT offers the same opportunity, which is why I’m excited to begin the next phase of my life.”

FROM COMPUTER SCIENCE TO QUANTITATIVE INVESTING

Audrey Ho ’18 Audrey Ho ’18 (centre) served as chair of Waterloo’s Women in Computer Science undergraduate committee.

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— Now a fourth-year computer science student at the University of Waterloo, Audrey Ho ’18 chose to pursue her degree after taking her first computer science class at UTS. “It took some time for it to grow on me before I became fascinated by the problemsolving aspect of computer science,” she says. “That led me to volunteer to help younger kids learn how to code and to organize the school’s first Girls in Tech Conference for grade 6 to 8 girls across Toronto and the GTA. I was so excited to come back this year as a panelist; it’s heartwarming to see its

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THE SKY IS NOT THE LIMIT

Cameron Alizadeh ’15

— If, in your future air travel, you have great internet available while cruising at 35,000 feet or so, you may have Cameron Alizadeh ’15 to thank. As a software engineer at the Starlink division of SpaceX, Cameron works on the Wi-Fi router for the aviation program, which is able to provide high speed, low latency in-flight internet capable of supporting streaming, online gaming, video calls and more.

“We recently launched our service on a regional premium airline, and the feedback has been fantastic,” says Cameron. “Starlink has over 3,000 satellites with global connectivity, in a low Earth orbit that minimizes latency.

We’re committed to keeping the service free for air travellers.”

Before moving to Seattle and joining Starlink in May 2022, Cameron interned at Synaptive Medical, a global medical device and technology company, and at Daisy Intelligence, a data analytics and machine learning firm, while enrolled in engineering science at the University of Toronto with a specialization in robotics engineering. He brought his knowledge of robotics, machine learning, operating systems and computer networking to his new role at the satellite internet company.

Whether at school or on the job, there is a thread that connects all of his experiences.

“When I arrived at U of T, it felt like an extension of being at UTS,” he says. “In both cases, the program offered the right level of challenge to ambitious and curious students. My work at Starlink feels like the next iteration of that. I’m surrounded by exceptional people, there’s lots of autonomy and I’m empowered to chart my own path. I’m grateful to have first experienced that at UTS.” He’s also grateful to be part of the larger Starlink vision of bringing internet service to the whole world.

FUTURE-PROOFING A TECH GIANT

“I originally went to NYU for film but also got involved in technology and then decided to pick up a computer science major,” he says.

“In film, my strengths were in producing and festival work – logistics, operations, business and strategy – and I always wanted to work at Google.

That was my dream job. I figured that adding computer science to my studies would position me well to get in.”

And it did. Will worked as a specialist engineer at Google for two years before making the move to YouTube (owned by Google), which grew into the massive social media platform it is today during his teenage years.

“ Both Google and YouTube remind me of UTS with its smart, driven and really remarkable people who love to learn and explore.”

“I watched a shameful amount of YouTube as a kid,” he laughs. “So, it was like the Holy Grail for me as a career opportunity. And compared to its online presence, it’s a relatively small organization with a very creative culture and lots of opportunities to own projects. In fact, both Google and YouTube remind me of UTS with its smart, driven and really remarkable people who love to learn and explore. Not surprisingly, there are lots of UTS alumni working here.”

Will partly credits his communication skills for shaping his own opportunities at the streaming giant. As an engineer who works on the business side of YouTube to ensure it remains economically viable well into the future, he is able to talk to both the “tech nerds” and the c-suite executives – and bridge the gap between the two.

And as a multi-instrument musician who plays piano every day, Will also enjoys working at a company with the largest music catalogue in the world.

—

Will Monahan ’14

— With his love of film, music and technology, maybe it was inevitable that Will Monahan ’14 would land a job at YouTube. In his role as partner engineer, he is involved in diversifying the revenue streams that the video-sharing service relies on.

These are just five of many extraordinary alumni carrying forward the long-standing UTS tradition of future‑forward thinking, driving innovation and breaking ground in technology. Whatever the future holds, we know UTS alumni will there at the forefront, engineering change and even building a better world. ■ THE UTS ALUMNI MAGAZINE

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ALUMNI NEWS

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

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

UTS building architect

Dr. Anthony “Tony” Hollenberg ’79

Don Schmitt C.M. ’70

and his firm Diamond Schmitt are co-designers of Art Gallery of Ontario’s new wing – the Dani Reiss Modern and Contemporary Gallery, which will expand the AGO’s total space to display art by 30 per cent.

“Our site to build is literally on top of an outdoor courtyard, which is used for trucking and deliveries of art to the gallery,” he told the Toronto Star. “So we were floating this new building literally in the air and building it without disrupting loading and servicing...” The design is also being informed by ongoing consultation with Indigenous leaders and communities, led by Two Row Architect, and is planned to operate without burning fossil fuel.

has been named the John Wade professor and chair of the Department of Medicine at Boston University School of Medicine, and physician-in-chief at Boston Medical Center. A leading physician-scientist specializing in endocrinology, Tony’s work focuses on thyroid disorders, investigating the physiological and molecular mechanisms by which thyroid hormones regulate metabolism, including body weight. He has published more than 98 original studies in journals.

Previously, he held a similar role at Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City.

// In February, Victoria Shen ’93 became the executive director of the Writers Guild of Canada, which represents English-language screenwriters.

An accomplished labour and human-rights lawyer, and a proven leader and champion of inclusion and diversity, Victoria is renowned for her work as special advisor at the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA), where she launched a national helpline, best practices to address workplace harassment and other initiatives. “She exemplifies all the qualities that we need at this time of change and challenge in the Canadian film and television industry,” said Alex Levine, president of the Writers Guild. She was previously director of national industrial relations and counsel at the Canadian Media Producers Association and served as Faculty Instructor for the Osgoode Certificate in Entertainment Law. The first person of colour in this role, Victoria takes the lead of the Writers Guild during a crucial phase of change and opportunity for Canadian screenwriters.

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Richard Nathanson ’87 was appointed

a judge of the Ontario Court of Justice in Toronto. During his 20+ years as a crown attorney, he led the domestic violence team, was selected as one of the first six regional sexual violence crowns in Ontario and became part of the Sexual Violence Advisory Group.

In 2021, he was appointed as a deputy crown attorney. He is also involved with Level Justice Indigenous Youth Outreach Program.

Wall Street Journal national correspondent Joanna Slater ’93,

was recently honoured with the South Asian Journalists Association’s 2022 Daniel Pearl Award, for her reporting as India bureau chief in the paper’s India Under Surveillance series in 2021, which revealed that evidence was planted and used to accuse Indian activists of plotting to overthrow the Modi government. The award was established in honour of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl who was killed while reporting in Pakistan in 2002.

Alumni News

won the Trailblazer Award with Women in Music Canada for her work as founder and president of Envision Management and Production, nurturing and championing artists and mentoring cultural workers. She was praised for creating new models in the industry that help it evolve to become more “inclusive, equitable and supportive” and also for helping artists reach new audiences.

Dr. Michael Zywiel ’96

performed the first knee replacement in Canada using a new robot – the VELYS robotic assisted device – that enables greater accuracy and better outcomes, at University Health Network’s Toronto Western Hospital. Michael is an orthopedic surgeon and clinician investigator with the Schroeder Arthritis Institute at the University Health Network.

Francesca Allodi-Ross ’04 was once an intern

at Romero House, and now she is the new executive director of this community of welcome for refugee claimants in Toronto.

Francesca has been a part of the Romero

// Richard (Dick) Tafel ’49 received the Steve Hounsell Greenway Award from Ontario Nature for his instrumental role in securing 250 protected acres of woodland – the Laurier Woods in North Bay. Previously, he was awarded the Queen’s Jubilee Medal and an Honorary Degree in Education by Nipissing University for his work. An active naturalist and bird watcher, Dick, who celebrated his 90th birthday last year, can be found snowshoeing, skating and cross-country skiing in winter, and paddling his canoe and birdwatching in the summer, sometimes carrying a spotting scope and climbing over fences to catch a glimpse of an elusive bird.

House community for 20 years, including living there in 2006 and 2009-10. She brings invaluable experience as an employment lawyer with several poverty law clinics, non-profit board chair with Cycle Toronto and facilitator at many events, including the YES! Toronto Jam annual retreat for changemakers.

Xenia Chen ’10 faced the Dragons on CBC’s Dragons’ Den, pitching her modern gender-neutral hosiery and intimates brand, Threads, during the fall season. Threads received an investment offer from Dragon Robert Herjavec and continues to strive toward their mission of making high-quality, well-designed wardrobe staples for men and women.

Simu Liu ’07

was named the most influential Torontonian of 2022 by Toronto Life magazine, “because he skyrocketed from sitcom actor to megastar – and he’s using his superpowers for good,” commending his efforts to boost Asian representation in Hollywood and being an inspiring role model for others. “The Year of Simu” article shone a light on Simu’s strong UTS connections, such as his high-school best friend Jason Chan ’07 acting as his current assistant.

Former UTS guidance counsellor Carole Bernicchia-Freeman was also in the article, describing the superstar as a UTS student and fondly reminiscing about the single “For You,” by Simu’s high-school band LX4. In April, Simu released a single called “Dropped.”

Sarah Liu ’13 (second from right) took

part in a record real-estate startup fund with venture firm Fifth Wall, closing at $866 million in December.

She’s a partner on the company’s Real Macey J. Foronda for Fifth Wall

Ryhna Thompson ’93

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Alumni News

Estate Technology Investment team, focusing on early stage investing in the construction, fintech, insurtech and residential sectors. This is the largest proptech fund in history and the news was featured in the Wall Street Journal.

Princeton University student Edward Tian ’18 appeared on CNN with Anderson Cooper in February to discuss his app, GPTZero, a powerful tool that can help detect AI-generated text. He and co-founder and CTO Alex Cui ’16 also led a well-received panel on ChatGPT in February for the Conference of Independent Schools of Ontario.

UTS ST YLE

RAIN OR SHINE! Get your UTS umbrella, Back to Bloor commemorative tee and baseball cap

IN THE NEWS Wilson professor in public policy and society at Victoria University in the University of Toronto, appeared on TVO’s The Agenda (bottom right) discussing U.K. research which accurately predicted women’s ovarian cancer based on loyalty card shopping behavior with a panel that included one of the leads on the study.

THE ROOT | SPRING 2023

penned his final Whodunit column – and his last crime fiction review in the Toronto Star, after a scintillating 24 years.

He has also written three history books on our school, including University of Toronto Schools 1910-2010 for the UTS centennial.

Kate Fillion ’82, P ’16

ChatGPT – curveball or game changer? Dr. Luke Stark ’02 spoke to CBC News in January about ChatGPT, advising fellow educators to make this “a teachable moment about the way that technology can shape discourse.”

The Western University assistant professor in the Faculty of Information and Media Studies told CBC: “I see it as an opportunity for all of us to be aware of the new things that we can do with technology and also the ways that this will impact our students.” He also spoke on digital citizenship at the UTSPA General Meeting in April.

Social justice lawyer

22

Jack Batten ’50

THEATRE

Sima Atri ’08,

shop.utschools.ca

LITERARY NEWS

Sunil Johal ’94, the David and Ann

the co-director of Community Justice Collective, appeared on TVO’s The Agenda discussing the legal implications around approaches to encampments in cities, and the underlying issues around access to housing and support systems.

She was featured in the Fall 2020 issue of The Root.

and Canadian Astronaut Chris Hadfield’s best-selling children’s book, The Darkest Dark, was adapted for the stage. The theatrical debut, based on the book, took place in April at Young People’s Theatre to a sold‑out crowd.

Shreya Jha ’16 debuted her new musical in March at U of T’s Trinity College.

Fittingly called Connections, the show brought together three UTS alums and a student. Shreya’s sister, Vedika Jha ’20, was the choreographer, Julie Francesca Seeger ’19 played the cello, and S6 (Grade 12) Dea was a stagehand. The production follows four strangers as they connect through Heathrow Airport, the chaos that ensues and the lessons that they learn. A percentage of the proceeds went to Cassie and Friends, an NGO that supports children with juvenile arthritis and other rheumatic diseases. Shreya also served as the director of music for this year’s Senior Drama Showcase.

Alumni News

UTS SERENDIPITY

ALUMNI VISITS

UTS intercontinental connections: UTS Director of University Counselling Andrea Stoeckl (right) was attending a university relations event at Scotland’s St. Andrews University, where she was fortunate to meet Gillian Sloan ’79, who was part of the first female cohort at UTS. Gillian is a tertiary education and career adviser at the Ascham School in Australia.

Some things stand the test of time: Karen Lam ’05 was at our new school, helping interview students for admissions when she came across her biology project from M4 (Grade 10) still on display!

Serendipitous alumni connection in Beijing: as a Schwarzman Scholar, Heather Tang ’15 met with Canada’s Ambassador to China, Jennifer May ’86, and was pleasantly surprised to learn that she is also a UTS alum.

“This demonstrates how UTS has truly educated multiple generations of global leaders,” says Heather.

Let’s do lunch in L.A.! Financial planner Jenny Chen (Tso) ’94 and attorney Kelly Kan ’10 met through their UTS connection on LinkedIn and then got together. “It was so nice to meet a fellow Canadian and UTS alumna in Los Angeles – such an amazing feeling connecting with alumni outside of Canada and what we have accomplished after UTS,” says Jenny.

our ongoing partnership with OISE. He helped our Canadian and World Studies students develop their research processes.

Part of his study in education and society involves supporting students’ research and learning. He also taught a lesson on climate refugees for Mike Farley’s F1 (Grade 7) geography class while he was here.

UTS BABY Mitchell Wong ’05,

a PhD student at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), is working with UTS Director of Music Mark Laidman to conduct a research study entitled, “Teaching for Musical Independence in Schools” which will explore a novel approach to teaching music with M3 (Grade 9) music students.

Kevin Kim ’11 and Melanie Adler ’10

welcomed their baby girl, Lily Calla Adler-Kim, on February 25, 2023. She joins her big brother Nate, as a baby of two alumni who started dating back when they were in M4 (Grade 10) and S5 (Grade 11) and as a potential future UTSer.

Jake Parsons ’19 came back to UTS as part of his studies at University of Toronto’s Victoria College, through

THE UTS ALUMNI MAGAZINE

23

Alumni News

REUNIONS What fine UTS style! At the Class of 1959 gathering in January, everyone, including spouses, looked resplendent in their UTS toques.

Old friends and a new school: the Class of 1967 embraced the holiday spirit in December, touring our school building, and then reminiscing over a holiday reunion lunch.

// Members of the Class of 1991 visited UTS to celebrate their success in establishing the Jun Kawakami ’91 Memorial Award.

Nearly 30 friends and teachers of Jun donated over $33,000 for this award endowment, which recognizes UTS student leadership in experiential outdoor education camps and programming, team sports and commitment to the co‑curricular life of the school.

FRONT: Principal Rosemary Evans and Dan Guttman ’91. BACK: Jordan Feld ’91, Jeff Gans ’91 and Jim Barr ’91. Joining remotely from New York: Sandy Wolfson ’91.

Eleven members of the Class of 1987 reminisced about the old UTS and marvelled at the new as they toured a school during a fall get-together.

Nearly 40 members of the Class of 1970 gathered on Zoom for a virtual reunion in March, sharing news of their lives. The class also discussed establishing the Spirit of the Class of 1970 Bursary at UTS, inspired by their friend and classmate, David “Ace” Decker ’70.

The Class of 1973 celebrated their 50th anniversary with their annual road hockey tournament, including Rick Spence ’73, author of the cover story in this issue.

Class of 2020

Class of 2021

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

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

24

THE ROOT | SPRING 2023

Class of 2022

UTS welcomed back the three most recent graduating classes for special events on December 21 and 22, to make up for lost time during the pandemic. Luncheons were held in the new Jackman Theatre for the Class of 2021 on December 21, and the Class of 2022 on December 22.

A special evening event took place at The Fortunate Fox for the Class of 2020, who did not have a prom or full graduation ceremony due to the pandemic.

Alumni News

EVENTS Guest speakers Peter Russell C.C. ’51 and Don Avery ’49, shared pre-recorded remarks on Canada and conflict in the new Withrow Auditorium for our annual Remembrance Day Assembly.

Afterwards, WW II veteran Jack Rhind ’38, who served as an artillery officer stationed in Montecassino, Italy and later took part in the liberation of the Netherlands, and Principal Evans led a ceremonial procession circling our new home.

Xenia Chen ’10 shared her career shift

from the corporate world to entrepreneur with her company Threads, as the keynote speaker at the UTSAA Young Alumni Speed Mentoring event in November.

Fourteen young alumni attended the event, taking part in small-group speed mentoring sessions with mentors Bianca Boldisteanu ’10, Morgan Ring ’07, Hana Dhanji ’05 and Xenia.

Seven student groups vied for $5,000 worth of UTSAA funding from the H. Don Borthwick Fund for Student Activity at the annual Don’s Den in November. UTSAA Directors Hana Dhanji ’05, Jon Bitidis ’99 and Martha Drake, executive director, advancement, judged the pitches.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS TUESDAY, JUNE 13

Alumni Golf Tournament Glen Eagle Golf Club SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

50th Anniversary of Co-education at UTS UTS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4

A Celebration of UTS Coaches Alumni are invited to an evening of fun and memories in honour of beloved UTS coaches.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21

Annual Alumni Dinner Celebrating anniversary years ending in 3s and 8s.

Marriott Downtown at C.F. Toronto Eaton Centre Reception at 5:30 p.m., Dinner at 7:30 p.m.

Reserve: utschools.ca/annualdinner Contact alumni@utschools.ca for more information.

Team Western All-Stars prevailed 4-3 in a thrilling game at the UTSAA Hockey Match in March, which attracted 25 alumni ranging from Class of 1960 to Class of 2018. Al Fleming ’54 and Jake Fowell ’63 coached and Principal Rosemary Evans did the ceremonial puck drop.

Nearly 60 alumni from the Class of 1972 to the Class of 2022 from across Ontario, as well as Vancouver, New York, Seattle and Mexico City, participated in the UTSAA Virtual Trivia Night in March.

The winning team was Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra, comprised of Aidan Cocklin ’22 , Jeff Gerstl ’93, Baldwin Hum ’93, Geoffrey Hung ’93 and Pauline Wong ’93.

IN MEMORIAM

JACK RHIND ’38 1920–2023 Curiosity. If you had to name just one element of Jack Rhind’s character, that would be it – the innate desire to explore and discover.

And what a powerful mix it turned out to be when his curiosity came to UTS and was enriched and magnified by experiences at 371 Bloor Street West and the playing fields at Varsity Stadium.

It’s hard for us to imagine what life was like at UTS in the 1930s. The Great Depression, the rumblings of fascism in Europe, the New Deal era. Yet, by his own account, Jack’s teenage years filled one of the happiest chapters in his life.

He made lifelong friends at UTS, whether in the classrooms, the Cadet Corps, sporting pursuits or the famed Tuesday Night Club formed to help develop public-speaking skills, a tradition that lasted decades.

THE UTS ALUMNI MAGAZINE

25

Alumni News

Jack studied commerce and finance at the University of Toronto (“everybody went there in my era”) and joined the Officers’ Training Corps before joining the Royal Canadian Artillery and being shipped overseas in 1943. He fought in the Italian campaign and then became part of the forces that liberated Holland.

With Historica Canada’s Memory Project, Jack has made countless presentations to Toronto students on the horror and wastefulness of war.

As Jack built a successful career in the life insurance and investment industries, he contributed much to his communities.

His volunteer leadership, included heading the UTS Alumni Association in 1957 and chairing the inaugural student bursary program in 1980. In recognition of his service to the UTS community and our country, he received the H.J. Crawford Award in 2011.

Curiosity ran to many aspects of his life, including what makes people laugh.

Jack had a thick joke file and an abundant collection of gags like fake snakes lurking around his house ready to shock you.

Dad enjoyed a long lifespan in marvellous health, playing tennis, bridge and skiing at 100. We remember him with love, respect and admiration and aspire to spark our curiosity as fully as he did.

–Ian Rhind ’71

WE WANT TO HEAR ABOUT…

you!

Share your news with The Root by emailing alumni@utschools.ca.

(P.S. Also, please email us if your address or contact info has changed).

26

THE ROOT | SPRING 2023

NATALIE KUZMICH 1932–2023 Professor Natalie Kuzmich is remembered as an instructor extraordinaire at both UTS and the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE).

Natalie entered UTS through the virtual side door, while working in Room 230 at the Faculty of Education at the University of Toronto (FEUT), which later merged with OISE. In 1978, it made sense that this dedicated musician, strings instructor, researcher and teacher of teachers should host a UTS strings program. Our administration, highly supportive of the arts, accepted the challenge. In the spirit of a foundational UTS mandate, Natalie exposed FEUT and UTS students to the joys of working closely together.

For a decade and a half, Natalie shared her no-boundaries approach to the exploration of the physical, cognitive and affective aspects of musical experience – performing, arranging, improvising, composing, experimenting and challenging accepted norms. Her awareness of music’s discrete array of “intelligences” and skills guided her individualized approach to students’ growth. For all that and more, “The Prof” will be fondly remembered by thousands of music students and teachers touched by her devotion to music education.

Natalie was in constant demand as a speaker, and even in retirement continued to publish. She was inducted into the UTS and Ontario Music Educators’ Halls of Fame, and is honoured with an entry in the Canadian Encyclopedia. Through Natalie’s teaching and publications, our UTS/OISE relationship of ideas and practice has helped transform music education in Canada and beyond.

– John Fautley, retired UTS music teacher and vice principal Donations in memory of Natalie for a seat plate in the Withrow Auditorium

may be made at utschools.ca/ kuzmich or by calling David Haisell at 416‑978‑3919.

PETER NEILSON ’71 1953–2023 Peter Neilson’s contributions to the UTS community were profound. The son of Graham Neilson ’38 , Peter began his lifetime volunteer service to the UTS community 50 years ago, just two years after graduation, while at Brown University as an undergraduate student.

His professional expertise in good governance practices proved indispensable to our school, both as a UTS board director and UTSAA director and president. In his career, Peter was a trusted advisor to clients and lawyers in Shibley Righton LLP’s Real Estate Group for over 27 years.

He laid the groundwork for stronger collaborations at UTS. Joining UTSAA as a director in 1973, Peter became president in 1987, and again in 2009.

Among Peter’s significant contributions was co-authoring the UTS-UTSAA Memorandum of Understanding, which has guided the relationship between the school and the alumni association since 2007. It was an exemplar for the UTS Parents’ Association-UTS Memorandum of Understanding.

As a UTS board director from 2011 to 2019, he served on the UTS Board Project Steering, Site Search, Governance and Nominating, Advancement, Alumni Liaison, and Building and Facilities committees. He was also a regular attendee at UTS and UTSAA events, often in an official role as host, speaker, or platform party member. In recognition of Peter’s unparallelled service to UTS, he was awarded a Heartwood Award for volunteer excellence in 2022.

A gifted debater from his days as the Lewis House academic rep, Peter volunteered with the UTS Debating Society, as well as the Hart House Debating Club for which he was

ALUMNI NEWS

honoured by the University of Toronto with an Arbor Award in 2011. Peter also had a reputation as a superb driver, a skill he honed on his beloved vintage cars.

We are immensely grateful for Peter’s steadfast dedication to UTS and

distribution company Cowboy Pictures While still a UTS student, Noah His TIFF celebration of life noted would become the Toronto International and how after his brain cancer diagnosis, Film Festival (TIFF), launching the career that would make him a pioneering he and partner John O'Rourke spent his

death, we also celebrate his legacy

Courtesy of TIFF

In his early years at TIFF, he was one of the minds behind the Midnight Madness

NOAH COWAN ’85 1967-2023 “I am not Andy Warhol,” says a joke quote under a photo in the 1984 Twig –

festival curator and leading light in the director of TIFF, who spearheaded the construction of TIFF's Bell Lightbox International Film Festival.

friends and family.

To his UTS classmates, Noah was an outsized personality, an anomalously anything, but also kind, caring and deeply attached to his friends. His contagious energy infused his UTS co-curriculars such as the woefully under-performing boys basketball team, the Dance Committee and the Twig, co-edited with Wendy Eberle ’85.

A budding bon vivant, Noah hosted many parties at his Walmer Road home, sharing his legendary delight in partying and food, from hot dogs to haute cuisine.

In the words of lifelong friend Alexis Stefanovic Thomson ’85: “Noah was so full of life that it’s hard to imagine the world without him.”

He lives on in the memories of his classmates, his partner John, and his brothers, nephews, nieces and many –Anne Fleming ’85

What will you do?

To designate UTS

Noah Cowan ’85 JANUARY 25, 2023

designation for memorial gifts, please contact Martha Drake, executive director, advancement.

• 416-946-0097 • mdrake@utschools.ca

THE UTS ALUMNI MAGAZINE

27

LOOKING BACK

“This is UTS” – the den of Greg Gulyas ’67 yielded a special piece of history from the old UTS, a printing plate that was used in his UTS days in the 1960s, perhaps for the Twig and likely made by his father who was a printer. After touring UTS and seeing the 1920s printing press on which the plate was used standing in the new UTS art studios, he felt it was time to donate it to the UTS Archives, officially handing it over to Martha Drake, executive director, advancement.

While students have a host of other maker and design opportunities available to them in the new Lang Innovation Lab with 3D printers and a laser cutter, the printing press stands the test of time and continues to be used in the Visual Arts program. Teacher Charlie Pullen has found a way to make the intaglio print process more environmentally friendly by replacing the asphaltum typically used in the copper plate printing process with a non-toxic alternative. Future prints on this press will involve recycling. The Visual Arts department is planning to do their etchings on the acrylic dividers that UTS staff had protecting their desks during the pandemic!