Honouring 23 years of service to the school as a donor, fundraiser, student mentor, adjunct professor, and guest speaker, Rawji is a recipient of the 2023 UBC Alumni Builder Awards. The annual awards recognize alumni from different faculties who have made exceptional contributions to the university and improved the lives of others.
“I’m a big fan of UBC, so this award is very special,” says Rawji from his home in Calgary. “There was a lot that UBC gave me. As a student, the only way I could thank those who came before me was to pay it forward, to make the institution even better. As an alum I had time to give and then as my career grew I was fortunate to have the financial means as well.”
Building healthier communities as a youth volunteer
That fundamental belief in giving back is a cornerstone of Rawji’s value system, which he learned at home.
“My parents immigrated to Canada from Tanzania and they instilled in me at a very young age the value of charity. They said you must be engaged, not just for yourself, but for the community around you.”
Growing up in Coquitlam and Burnaby [Canada], Rawji began volunteering for the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s annual door-to-door canvassing. As a teenager, he was put in charge of fundraising teams then entire districts and by the age of 20, he was invited to join the board of the Heart & Stroke Foundation of BC & Yukon.
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