Alumni Connections
MIT Alumni Gather in Vancouver for First Time
Thirty five alumni and guests smile for a photo at the Shangri-La Hotel in Vancouver. Photo: Isabelle Groc '98
When James Dai SM '04 returned home after completing his master's at the MIT Media Lab and working as a program manager for Microsoft, he thought “MIT alumni in Vancouver were non-existent.” He now knows many and hopes to welcome even more as Vancouver hosts the world for the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Dai was among the 35 alumni and guests who gathered in April of this year for drinks and canapés at the recently opened Shangri-La Hotel in downtown Vancouver. “I met many very accomplished alumni making a difference in the thriving local community,” Dai said. “The event was an opportunity to stay connected with the energy and passion that is all things MIT.”
Making this gathering even more special was the presence of Toni Schuman ’58, president of the MIT Alumni Association. The historic nature of this occasion was not lost on Toni. “My impression of the evening was that everybody was so thrilled at the chance to get together. I had a sense that people didn’t want to leave," she said.
The evening had to draw to a close. Luckily, no one left empty handed. Toni Schuman was presented with a framed photograph of orca whales entitled “Morning Cruise” by Organizing Committee member and award-winning wildlife photographer Isabelle Groc ’98. Others won prizes sent in from B.C.’s Okanagan Valley wine country courtesy of Gary Strachan ’66. All attendees departed with goodie bags containing baked goods by Organizing Committee members Natalya Eliashberg Crump ’93 and Rowena Low ’98.
Beyond demonstrating how MITers can support each other, the occasion showcased the tremendous goodwill MIT has in British Columbia and beyond. “We couldn’t have done this without the very generous support of sponsors like TELUS, CIBC Wood Gundy, Millennium & Copthorne Hotels, Shangri-La Hotels, and good friends like Laura Fried ’98 who doesn’t even live in Canada,” said Organizing Committee Chair Oliver Chow '93, MBA '97. Via a silent auction and raffle, the event raised sufficient funds to endow the MIT Alumni of BC Award for the Science Fair Foundation of British Columbia. The award will recognize students from grades 7 to 12 whose projects demonstrate informed curiosity, exploration, and discovery as well as the practical potential for real-world application and entrepreneurship. As Organizing Committee member Will Gaherty ’84 noted, “wouldn’t it be great if the next admit to MIT from out here had the MIT Alumni of BC Award on his application! What a great legacy for this historic event.”
Now that Dai has realized he’s not the only MIT alum in Vancouver, he will soon serve as an MIT Educational Counsellor to help out prospective students in B.C. “I look forward to getting to know all the MIT alumni here!”
By Isabelle Groc '98
Published June 17, 2009
