Meet Evan Woo: my close friend, mentor since middle school, and source of admiration. To others, he’s better known as President of Western Founders Network (WFN), Western’s largest business, technology, and entrepreneurship club, renowned especially for its culture. I had no doubt in his ability to govern over 600 members, host 35 events, and collaborate with 25 corporate sponsors—because I had seen him do it all before.
Dating back to the fourth grade, Evan seemed inherently poised for leadership; refusing to remain witness to budget cuts from the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), he garnered a passion for advocacy and action. Taking the step that no one else did, he became the District Chair for the TDSB Student Senate through referral by our middle school principal, projecting the marginalized voices of hundreds of students. His first two years of high school were then spent at Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute (MGCI), in a selective specialty program called TOPS for enrichment in STEM. MGCI was situated in a neighbourhood among the hardest hit by provincial government budget cuts, with overcapacity and underfunding running rampant at the school. It was here that he witnessed, first-hand, the detriment of a lack of student advocacy and became desperate to change the status quo. Although most TOPS alumni found themselves in math and science-heavy university programs, Evan explored a different path.
Humbly, he admitted he felt incompatible with the program: one that is rigorously acclaimed yet catered to what he deemed his weaknesses, failing to nurture his true passion for leadership. He sought gratification in his continuing tenure in the Student Senate now as a Vice President, then working up to the Presidential role, and finally becoming TDSB’s Student Trustee—advocating for the problems that affected him and the roughly 250,000 students he represented across 579 schools. Despite receiving recognition in local news and eager acceptances from notable U.S. institutions, he said the most rewarding and powerful part of his effort is that it did, truly, make a difference. He is satisfied knowing future students are benefitting from budget cut reversals and experiencing a more enriching and supportive environment than he did.
Finding himself at Western with Advanced Entry to Ivey, he knew he had found his niche: embodying the student community to make a tangible impact. But now, he had another mission in mind—to inspire others so they could do the same. WFN became his medium, with a supportive culture that exemplifies a flawless balance of professionalism, opportunity, and camaraderie. Expressing the same initiative he took as he ran for TDSB Trustee—being physically present, building authentic relationships, expressing genuine empathy, and pushing the value of succeeding together—his natural fit as WFN’s Co-President was undisputed.
When I asked how he supplemented WFN’s reputation as one of the best club communities on campus, he emphasized one thing: holistically hiring. That is, being selective and intentional with what environment he wants to cultivate and when building a team, sometimes using a ‘vibe check’ as a better metric of fit than raw work experience; because what’s more valuable than knowledge is a willingness to share it. Ivey has done an incredible job encouraging the culture of passing down knowledge, and WFN is arguably the epitome of this spirit. Evan affectionately calls it his “first love,” having been involved since his first year and building it into what it is today.
Nearing the three-quarters mark of his presidential term, Evan reflected on the growth both he and WFN have experienced. In his first year, he was the Director of Careers and was then appointed the same portfolio’s Vice President in his second. Responsible for running events like the Elevate Career Fair, with over 200 attendees and 17 start-up partners, he saw through more than 50 internship placements for first- and second-year students. Then, elected as Co-President, Evan organized numerous socials, began unique traditions, and established something of what he dubbed a “camp vibe.” He also pioneered a new portfolio, Flagship, hosting entrepreneurial events to help students populate their business toolbox.
It wasn’t only Evan and WFN that stood to benefit from the club’s growth; I found my first finance-related internship through the Elevate Career Fair, the experience which directly led to my placement for this coming summer. Dozens of students built successful coding projects under the guidance of the Projects portfolio mentors, one of whom has just started hiring to scale his start-up. Countless others landed esteemed roles indirectly, through chats and recommendations from the WFN community. Even with its glowing success, Evan’s humility shines brighter. “I just want to keep fostering this community,” he says. “It’s one of a kind, it’s special.”
If there is one takeaway from Evan’s life before HBA, it’s that our surroundings don’t always reflect our true potential. From the halls of MGCI, to the pulse of WFN, and to his next stop at top management consulting firm Oliver Wyman, Evan has shown us that the most powerful leadership isn’t born from perfect conditions but from the ability to pivot, to adapt, to inspire, and to be human. That true influence is just as much about being a dependable friend, a humble mentor, and a warm presence as it is about success. And just like the advocacy work that sparked his initial drive, Evan’s leadership continues to echo with an unrelenting reminder: we are more than the sum of our circumstances. Our true potential lies in the actions we take, and the communities we build, in spite of them.