Anthony (Tony) Chan Memorial Bursary

Dr. Adrienne Chan, Tony’s sister and the donor of this award, has been a donor to universities and colleges since the 1970s. She believes in supporting education as a fundamental way of fostering citizenship. Her philosophy aligns well with her life’s work (and Tony's) and her strong commitment to social justice, first as a social worker, then as an educator. Adrienne is a Professor Emeritus at the University of the Fraser Valley, and an alumnus of the University of Victoria, the University of British Columbia, and the University of Kent at Canterbury (UK). Adrienne’s values and attitudes were cultivated in junior high school when she was involved in the Canadian Red Cross as a volunteer, doing fundraising, and working towards the betterment of marginalized peoples. Giving was engrained the family culture, to support society and the betterment of communities.

Dr. Anthony (Tony) Chan was a scholar in Asian Canadian Studies and Communications. He was a respected academic and professional communicator. Tony and Adrienne came from a family of six siblings with a strong commitment and history of giving back to their community, whether it was time, talent, or funds. Tony was a powerful force in the lives of many people. He produced television documentaries, told stories, published books and many journal articles. He taught about the injustices of history from his life experience. Tony set the stage for many people – supporting writers, doctoral students, film makers, and many others. Tony and Adrienne are third-generation Canadians of Chinese descent. Their grandfather, Chan Dun, travelled on a working boat to Victoria in 1893 and had to pay a head tax upon arrival. He established a family and encouraged hard work and working together, in order to be successful.