IAN ROBERTSON - SWIMMING (1979-83)

Degree: Bachelor of Science 1986, Bachelor of Arts 1988
Sport: Swimming (1981-86)
Current Profession/Employer: Portfolio Manager / Odlum Brown Limited
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-robertson-0636901/

Why did you choose to study/play at UBC?
I was fortunate to grow up close to campus, and UBC was a natural choice – I could both swim with a great team and get a great education. At the time, UBC was a very good, nationally ranked university. Little did I appreciate how much it would grow – alongside its host city – to the global stature it enjoys today! I'm very proud to be a UBC alumnus.

Favorite T-Bird memory:
I have so many favorite memories – most of them from my time as a varsity athlete – but the standouts would have to be the Christmas training camps. We didn't have an away camp every year, but they were always a perfect mix of hard training and great times with teammates.

Favorite place on campus:
The old outdoor pool holds a special place in my memory. It was where we trained for the first month and a half at the beginning of the varsity season, it was where I coached masters swimming for a few summers, and it was a place to relax with friends both during and after regular opening hours.

What was your first job after graduation?
I was a lifeguard on Vancouver beaches while I went to UBC, and for a couple of years afterwards...but I'm not sure that counts as a 'post-graduation job'. My first full-time job was with the federal government in Ottawa. After studying business for two years, it seems like an odd fit, but I learned so much about the role of government and how it contributes to the fabric of Canada … and how a critical eye by media and the voting public helps keep it on a productive path.

What advice do you have for current student-athletes?
Enjoy your time as an athlete and with your team. I recall what one of my zoology professors said when I told him I needed to miss a field trip to Bamfield so that I could participate in the Canada West championships the same weekend. He said it was too bad there was a conflict between my sport and my academics, but that I should do the sport while I could. It was a very unexpected (and understanding) response, and I still appreciate it for the balanced approach to life that it suggested.

What's the best advice you can give to a student or recent alumni to help plan a career?
Pursue what you're interested in, but keep your options open. Try to keep as much flexibility in your skills and training, so that you have as many choices as possible in life.

Do you have a mentor? How have they influenced you?
I don't have a formal mentor, but two people – both connected to UBC – have played an important guiding role for me. First, my swim coach Jack Kelso, provided a lot of guidance. As varsity athletes we spend many hours each week with each other and with our coaches. Jack had an easygoing way of nudging us (and perhaps me in particular) in more productive directions, whether in the pool or out of it. Second, Brian Sullivan, who was VP Students at UBC, was an enormous help as I looked for some direction with work-life balance, business strategy, and a decision whether or not to pursue more education.

How and where do you find inspiration?
I'm inspired by the people I meet – through volunteering at UBC and in the community, through my work, and through various conferences and activities. There are so many people doing great work to help make our world a better place – most of them below the radar – and collectively it makes a huge difference.

How have you used your varsity athletic experience in your current career/life?
In addition to a great experience, varsity athletics taught me the value of team work – the value of appreciating what others contribute in achieving a common goal, and how working together brings better results. I recall Brian Burke speaking at one of the ZLC Thunderbird Scholarship Breakfasts, and while I knew of him as the former Canucks GM and a huge success as a hockey executive, at the breakfast he told us that he wasn't a star player when he was younger, but what he had learned on the ice and as part of a team is what had allowed him to succeed later. Burke's words resonated with me because I wasn't a star player either, but I was a contributing member of a great team. I, like my teammates, benefited from the process of training, competing, and teamwork. Some benefited from winning gold, too, but we all benefited from being part of a team.

Anything particular insights during this quarantine?
The quarantine has reinforced how fortunate I am. Having a home, and the ability to continue work from home, and my family all here and safe...I know the pandemic is putting incredible strain on so many people, and I hope it gives us all pause to think, not just now but also in the years to come, about how best we can support those who need it, because you never know when it will be you, or a family member or friend that's the one in need. We will need to think carefully about how we harness capitalism, so that our society can strike an optimal balance between rewarding hard work and protecting those in need. I think universities are well placed in this regard, with leading academic thought, but also with real world outreach and experience such as UBC's long-time leadership in the downtown east side.

What are your books/movie suggestions?
I'm just about to start Invisible Women by Caroline Criado. It's a data-driven book about how most things are designed for men, from smartphones to seat-belts to medical devices. I've just finished Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese, and soon will finish A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles.

What are your go-to songs and podcasts?
I enjoy CBC Radio's Ideas and BBC Radio's In Our Time podcasts. Both are long-running, wide ranging, inquisitive shows that both entertain and educate. For music, I'm a huge Radiohead fan.

Can you share any new quarantine hobbies/goals?
When I travel I walk a lot, and when I'm in Vancouver I work out in the pool. With no travel and no pool, I now walk a lot around my neighborhood.

What question would you ask other T-Birds/mentors?
Have you kept in touch with many of your old teammates?

How can other alumni/student-athletes connect with you?
I welcome connections on LinkedIn.