Sophia Leung is perhaps best known as Canada’s first female Asian-Canadian Member of Parliament, elected first in 1997 and re-elected in 2000. She has also served on the Board of Directors of over 20 community organizations, and received many honours for her contributions, including the Order of Canada and the Canada Volunteer award.

Yet she is quick to credit UBC for giving her a start in her career of social and political involvement, and is planning to give back to her alma mater through an estate gift.

Sophia moved to Vancouver in 1962, when her late husband, Dr. S. Wah Leung, was invited to become the founding Dean of the UBC Faculty of Dentistry. Sophia became a student, graduating with a Bachelor of Social Work in 1964 and a Masters in 1966.

Together, the Leungs helped establish the Chinese Cultural Centre in downtown Vancouver, and helped to forge sister-city ties between Vancouver and Guangzhou, China.

Over the next several decades Sophia served Canadians as a social worker, volunteer, community activist and politician. In addition to her role as MP, she was Parliamentary Secretary for National Revenue for four years, and Special Advisor to the Prime Minister from 2004 to 2006.

And she’s not slowing down yet: she has participated in the Governor General’s mentor program, in which members of the Order of Canada are paired up with young people. She is also facilitating student exchanges between UBC and Chinese social work students, and serves as a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council in the Faculty of Dentistry.