March 2, 2021

In Memoriam: Bill Tseng, Schulich School of Engineering

Campus flag lowered March 2, 2021
Bill Tseng
Tseng Family

It’s with profound sadness that the University of Calgary community mourns the loss of engineering student Bill Tseng, who passed away after a long battle with cancer on Dec. 17, 2020.

Bill had succeeded in his dream of entering the Schulich School of Engineering, and we can only imagine where this outstanding Mechanical and Manufacturing engineering student might have gone after graduation, having aced all of his first-year courses.

Driven to succeed

Getting to Schulich was an achievement in itself, after Bill was forced to miss much of Grade 9 and all of Grade 10, due to rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer that arises from soft tissue.

But he wasn’t about to let that stop him, and through online courses and the constant company of textbooks and a laptop, Bill made up the lost classes.

With the help of an excellent tutor and his own drive to become an engineer, Bill made it through high school. As he ended Grade 12, Bill found out he’d been accepted at the Schulich School of Engineering.

Loved his chosen path

It’s probably no surprise that a student as bright and motivated as Bill jumped into engineering with great enthusiasm, with outstanding grades as the natural result. He truly loved the path he’d chosen, but finishing his engineering degree wasn’t possible.

In October of last year, Bill’s cancer started to spread, and despite numerous treatments and all of his will to keep fighting, the disease couldn’t be stopped. Bill returned home, his final wish being to leave the hospital, and in December, he passed away surrounded by his loving family.

Volunteers and donations

In Bill’s memory, the family has asked for volunteers or donations in his name to Kids Cancer Care Alberta, the Sarcoma Cancer Foundation of Canada, or the Sarcoma Foundation of America.

The University of Calgary campus flag will be lowered to half-mast in honour of Bill Tseng on March 2, 2021.