Lifelong learner F. Sigmund Topor looks back on his time at U of T

By Adam Elliott Segal

Some 24 years after moving to Japan, F. Sigmund Topor still has fond memories of his time at U of T, where as a member of Woodworth College he earned an undergraduate degree in philosophy in 1993.

“My time at U of T gave me a base and an understanding of epistemology and cultural differences in the way people perceive the universe and how they relate to each other,” says Topor.

The lifelong learner has been educating Japanese students in English ever since.

Higher education, in fact, is in his blood. His late uncle held two PhDs, including one in philosophy, which inspired Topor to pursue the same field of study.

“I enjoyed my academic life, and my co-curricular activities at U of T. I was a student representative at the government council for Woodsworth College, and that allowed me to attend Faculty Council meetings with the president and the various members of the Governing Council of the university.”

Topor has fond memories of late-night study marathons in Robarts Library, and living close to campus, both near the OISE building and as a member of a fraternity on St. George.

Two of his proudest moments were endorsements: one local, the other international. Topor was endorsed by then-U of T Vice President of Development and University Relations, Gordon Cressy, as a candidate for the Toronto District School Board. As president of the Friends of the South African People, a U of T-based federal charity in Canada, he was endorsed by the Government of South Africa for his efforts to end apartheid.

“I had faculty members who agreed to be board members and that allowed us to register as a federal organization,” says Topor. “Both the ambassador and the first minister of South Africa came to campus, and we visited the consulate.”

Those formative years inspired a passion for learning, and Topor is now sharing those lessons with a new generation of students abroad. He’s written several educational and reference books, including Ethical Standards and Practice and International Relations.

“Academic life gives me a lot of satisfaction,” says Topor. “I teach academic writing and conversational English for graduates and those in the workforce. My current writing project focuses on intercultural communication and international relations.”

He stays in touch with his alma mater as a member of a Woodsworth College alumni book club.

It shows that, no matter how far you go, U of T and Woodsworth College still hold a special place in alumni’s hearts.