Celebrating volunteers who share their time and talents – News and Events

This year's G. Raymond Chang Distinguished Volunteer Awards honor 27 exceptional alumni and friends of Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) who share their expertise to mentor, inspire and empower students.

The 2024 recipients include alumna Valerie Gow (Interior Design '90), founder of Gow Hastings Architect, and Charles Marful, director of HR in Ernst & Young's assurance practice.

As a student, Gow “had a great time at TSU,” he said. But her passion for university volunteering was first sparked in the early 2000s when she worked as a renovation consultant for the School of Interior Design.

“I saw my old desk and it reminded me of my first day at school when Peter Rice from Rice Brydon, a famous interior design firm in the 1980s, came and saw his old desk and put together a furniture drive. furniture for the school,” Gow said. “So I thought I could do something similar and gather suppliers to donate materials and expand the renovation. Volunteerism and donations make projects successful and they have helped us make a big impression.”

Since then, Gow has volunteered in both the School of Interior Design at the Creative School and the Department of Architecture in the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture. He shares his industry experience, motivates students with stories and advice from his career, and serves as a portfolio reviewer and thesis critic.

Gow is a frequent guest speaker in classrooms and a panelist at prestigious Women in Architecture events and mentors students during mock interviews, workshops, studio reviews and other events. She also sits on the School of Interior Design Advisory Board and decides on scholarships and awards for interior design students.

At the Ted Rogers School of Management, Marful was first invited to volunteer by executive director-in-residence Wayne McFarland. This led Marful to serve on the Human Resources and Organizational Behavior Advisory Board for more than 10 years. Drawing on her experience as director of human resources, Marful shares ideas for updating the curriculum, helping students develop skills outside the classroom, and enhancing the overall business student experience. He is a sought-after mentor for students and alumni and serves as a referee for case competitions.

“When I was a student, I had a lot of questions,” he said. “I'm sure today's students will have a lot of questions.” Marful is happy to help them find answers. “When I was going to university, my dad told me it's not just about the courses you take; It's also about networking and the insights you get,” he said. “In addition to my professors, I've been fortunate to have had many people in industry serve as mentors.” He has been in contact with his first mentors for almost 30 years.

Volunteering enriches life

At TMU, Marful also gave of her time and talent to serve on a special program review advisory board, and her dedication and enthusiasm impacted the careers of students.

But for Marful, volunteering is more than just sharing knowledge. “When I give back, it allows me to learn new insights and perspectives from students and connect with them,” she said. “Without connectivity, I can easily have very disconnected views.”

Marful, who was honored with the Chang Award, said he was “humbled and amazed,” adding that the good work at TMU was not the result of his efforts alone, but rather the collaborative efforts of a community of volunteers.

As for Gou, he said, “I'm very happy” about receiving the award. “Volunteering has enriched my life.” Gow Hastings also places TMU students on co-op jobs, allowing him to get to know students early in their careers and witness them grow to become top industry professionals.

“It gives me joy to improve the student experience,” she said. “My passion and experience in architecture and interior design is rooted in my post-secondary education; at Gow Hastings we design environments for colleges and universities. When we industry professionals share our expertise, give of our time and resources, and do what we can to give back, the student experience is further enhanced.”

The G. Raymond Chang Distinguished Volunteer Awards are dedicated to the memory of TSU's third chancellor, who was beloved by TSU students and a champion of volunteerism. A full list of this year's and past honorees can be found here.