尤物视频

Guided by the belief that not all learning happens in the classroom, Karen and Steve Sharlow chose to leave a gift in their will to help future SFU students embrace their own unique educational journeys.

鈥淔ollowing a slightly different path was always our way,鈥� Karen reflects. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 why SFU was a good fit for us.鈥�

In 1970, Karen and Steve, newly wed and facing a tight B.C. job market, made a bold decision to leave Burnaby and venture north to Yellowknife. They pitched their tent by a lake, and Steve set out to look for work. A gravel path literally led him to the Yellowknife Correctional Centre, where he was hired that same day and before long, became a corrections officer.

鈥淪teve was always incredibly observant,鈥� Karen recalls. 鈥淏y watching how things worked, and being genuinely curious about the people around him, he quickly learned how to advance in the justice system.鈥�

Knowing that a university education was vital to continue growing their careers, the couple returned to B.C. Karen had enrolled at SFU after high school and returned to her studies in commerce and economics, while Steve enrolled as a mature student. Here, Steve was struck by the energy of the newly-established School of Criminology鈥檚 founding chair, Dr. Ezzat Fattah, who encouraged him to join the inaugural cohort.

This program profoundly shaped Steve鈥檚 career and life mission鈥擪aren notes that he was particularly inspired by the hands-on experience he gained during his co-op placement鈥攁nd the Sharlows鈥� generous gift reflects that passion for experiential learning.

鈥淗e was not a person who really liked sitting in classrooms,鈥� she says with a laugh. 鈥淗e learned best by talking, endlessly, to people.鈥�

After graduation, Steve made a substantial impact on the lives of many people. With his deep commitment to justice, compassion and public service, he became a probation officer, family court counsellor, and eventually an instructor at the Justice Institute of B.C., dedicating much of his work to addressing sexual abuse.

Karen, too, built an extraordinary legal career, practicing tax law in Vancouver before becoming a Federal Court judge in Ottawa in 1999. Later that same year, she was appointed to both the Court Martial Appeal Court and the Federal Court of Appeal, where she served until her retirement in 2014.

Inspired by SFU鈥檚 longstanding commitment to experiential learning, in 2018 they established the Steve and Karen Sharlow Criminology Co-op Award Endowment through generous gifts both during their lifetime and in their will.

鈥淚t was Steve鈥檚 wish to express his gratitude to SFU for the support that helped shape his career,鈥� Karen explains. 鈥淏y creating this endowment, we hope to build something lasting, something that will serve as a springboard for students to achieve great things in their own lives.鈥�

Steve passed away in 2022, and his legacy lives on through this endowment by ensuring future students can benefit from the same transformative opportunities.