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    • 28 SEP 15
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    In Memory of Brian Thom

    In Memory of Brian Thom

    Dear friends and colleagues,

    It is with deepest regret that we announce the passing of long-serving BCIT staff member Brian Thom. Brian was a loving husband and father of four who dedicated his life and career to helping others. He started his career at BCIT in 1990 as an Instructional Development Consultant in the Learning Resources Unit (now the Learning and Teaching Centre), and over the following 25 years, made contributions that will impact BCIT for years to come.

    A natural mentor, Brian was always willing to lend a helping hand. In 2014, he received a BCIT Employee Excellence Award for “Unsung Hero”: a moniker that epitomizes his career as a caring, thoughtful educator who helped countless faculty and instructors improve how they teach at BCIT.

    This year Brian was honored through the creation of a new award at BCIT. The Brian Thom Advancing Teaching Excellence Award recognizes an individual or group who has made an outstanding contribution to advancing learning and teaching at BCIT through educational innovation, and has been a champion for excellence in teaching beyond their own classroom—just like Brian himself. The inaugural award was presented to the FSA’s Instructional Development Committee at our June Convocation ceremonies.

    We know this news will be devastating to many in our community. As many of you are aware, Brian was diagnosed with stage four cancer in April this year. Despite a hard-fought battle involving chemotherapy and a new immunotherapy drug that was partly funded by many in the BCIT community through a Go Fund Me campaign, Brian passed away on September 26, 2015.

    Brian’s most recent updates, shared through his Go Fund Me campaign page, showed his characteristic optimism and grace. Details of his memorial service have not yet been announced and will be posted in the Loop (BCIT intranet) once confirmed.

    Our heartfelt condolences go out to Brian’s family and friends. Please contact Human Resources should you wish to speak with a grief counsellor or access support at this difficult time.

    Kathy Kinloch, BCIT President and Teresa Place, FSA President

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  • Posted by Jason Hall on October 1, 2015, 4:04 pm

    Very saddened to hear of Brian Thom’s passing. By putting a human face on such a large institution as BCIT, he has made my time there so very valuable and memorable. He’s very missed.

    Reply →
  • Posted by Tim Loblaw on October 7, 2015, 7:20 am

    Condolences to all whom Brian influenced over the years. Brian leaves a legacy in Canadian post secondary education every time an instructor puts into practice all that Brian cherished about teaching-and-learning.

    Tim Loblaw
    Chair, College Advovcacy
    Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education.

    Reply →
  • Posted by Lynda Williams on October 8, 2015, 11:03 am

    Proud to have counted Brian a colleague during my time at BCIT’s Learning and Teaching Centre.

    Reply →
  • Posted by Lynda Williams on October 8, 2015, 11:08 am

    Proud to have counted Brian a colleague during my time at BCIT’s Learning and Teaching Centre.

    Reply →

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