Some lessons must be experienced to be understood. For Arthur Tsai, testing his limits helped him realize what he was capable of, and led him to complete both a BSc (1995) in Wood Science and Industry, and MSc (2012) in Forestry at UBC, as well as achieve ongoing success heading the market intelligence team at Paper Excellence.
In 2022, Tsai was recognized with one of this year’s Alumni Builder Awards for his ongoing involvement with the Faculty of Forestry as a tri-mentor, guest lecturer, co-op mentor/relationship builder and Alumni Advisory Council member. The awards recognize alumni who have made a significant contribution to the university and enriched the lives of others. On top of volunteering with the Faculty of Forestry, Tsai has sat on industry-related boards and the boards of local community and sports organizations.
Mentoring Forestry students, and helping them get co-op placements at Canfor in his prior role, also served to keep Tsai abreast of changes at UBC while helping students pursue their studies and careers.
“To me, success is about how well you care for your family and then, with time, your willingness to give back to your community,” says Tsai. “The more you meet other people, the more you learn, the more you connect with different folks and different ways of thinking and different cultures, the more it shapes you for the better. That belief system has really guided me over the years, and it’s something that I hope to humbly pass along to my girls and the students.”
To read the full story, please visit the Faculty of Forestry website.
Through Strategy 18: Alumni Engagement, UBC is working with alumni UBC, together with targeted efforts across faculties and departments, to broaden and deepen engagement through programs that cultivate pride, empower personal growth, support professional development and enable contribution.