One Last Thing…

Every award tells a story, but not every story makes it into an award profile. During our conversations with this year's Arch Award recipients, we found ourselves returning to moments that were funny, unexpected, deeply personal and sometimes profoundly moving. Together, they paint a richer picture of the people behind this year's honours and remind us that extraordinary lives are often shaped by ordinary moments. 

Max Chan, BA’01 | Community Commitment Award 

A friendship forged through shared experience 

Before John S. Osler, KC, was elected the University of Calgary's 16th Chancellor, he was someone Max Chan turned to during one of the most difficult moments of his life. Just a week before Chan was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2020, the two friends happened to be skiing together when Chan asked Osler, himself a cancer survivor, about his own diagnosis. Days later, Chan received the same life-changing news. 

"He was one of the very first people I called," Chan recalls.  

Osler would later encourage him to join the Alberta Cancer Foundation Board of Trustees, where Chan would eventually succeed him as Chair. Today, their friendship stands as a reminder of how mentorship and shared experience can shape not only individual lives, but the communities they go on to serve. 

Wilma Shim, BSc’07, JD’10, LLM, KC | Alumni Service Award 

Inspired by… Ahem… a rival university 

Long before she became one of the University of Calgary's most dedicated alumni champions, Wilma Shim was getting an unexpected lesson in community from another university. As a child, she accompanied her mother to Golden Bears and Pandas games while she completed her PhD at the University of Alberta. At these events, she would often see graduates return to campus long after earning their degrees. 

"I can distinctly remember going to volleyball games with her and cheering on the Pandas… that actually inspired me to think, 'We should have a really strong connection here in Calgary,'" says Shim. 

Today, that early inspiration still shapes how Shim thinks about alumni engagement. Her hope is that students don't simply graduate from UCalgary; they become part of a community that lasts a lifetime.

Karen K. Ngo, BComm’20 | Early Career Achievement Award 

Experiential learning is key  

When Karen K. Ngo reflects on her time at the University of Calgary, one piece of advice rises above the rest: Study abroad. 

It wasn't originally part of her plan, but spending her final semester in Singapore became one of the defining experiences of her university years. Living and learning in another country pushed her outside her comfort zone, broadened her perspective, and reinforced the value of saying yes to opportunities that feel a little uncertain. 

Ironically, the experience ended with a whirlwind transition. After returning home, Ngo had just two weeks to pack before moving to Toronto to begin her career at Microsoft. Not long after, the COVID-19 pandemic changed everything, and, like many students in the Class of 2020, she never experienced a traditional convocation. Today, when students ask for career advice, Ngo's answer often has little to do with résumés or interviews. 

"If you have the chance to study abroad, take it," she says.

Robert Adamson, MEDes’89 | Career Achievement Award 

Family first, always 

Looking back, Robert Adamson is proud of the buildings that now define Calgary's skyline and communities across Canada. But, when asked what brings him the greatest joy today, his answer comes without hesitation. 

“My family,” he says. “My wife, my kids, my grandkids.” 

After decades spent helping shape the places where people gather, learn, heal and connect, it is the people closest to him who matter most. It's a perspective that feels fitting for someone whose career was built not only by remarkable buildings, but by the people who opened doors for him and by his commitment to holding those doors open for others. 

Dr. Yang Gao, PhD'93 | International Career Achievement Award 

The teacher becomes the student 

Despite being one of the world's leading researchers in satellite navigation, Dr. Yang Gao doesn't see teaching as separate from research. In fact, he believes the two constantly strengthen one another. While his research allows him to bring the latest discoveries into the classroom, his students challenge him with new ideas, fresh perspectives and questions that often lead in unexpected directions.  

"The students are a central part of my career," he says. "They bring new ideas and new perspectives."  

As technologies like artificial intelligence rapidly reshape engineering, Dr. Gao admits he's learning alongside them. Rather than viewing himself simply as the expert at the front of the classroom, he sees education as a partnership built on curiosity, where teaching and learning flow in both directions.

Mark Jones, BPE'82 | Distinguished Alumni Award for Lifetime Achievement 

The mentor behind the mentor 

For someone who has spent a lifetime mentoring others, Mark Jones is quick to point to one of his own mentors: Sheldon Kennedy. 

Former NHL player Kennedy became one of Canada's leading advocates for survivors of child abuse after publicly sharing his own experience of sexual abuse in junior hockey. His work has helped transform how organizations across the country approach child protection, trauma-informed care and abuse prevention. 

As Jones and community leaders worked to create the Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre and the Sheldon Kennedy Centre of Excellence, Kennedy's guidance helped shape their vision for a collaborative model that would bring health care, law enforcement, social services and legal supports together under one roof. 

"When Sheldon Kennedy takes the time to tell you how proud he is of you and your team, you don't get something better than that," Jones says. "I value his friendship. I value his mentoring. The guy is unbelievable. He's trying to make our world a better place."