The Mentor Who Taught Us to Pivot is Gone: Remembering Professor Wayne Chang

The Unstoppable Energy Suddenly Stops

The news of Professor Wayne Chang’s unexpected passing feels like an unanswerable blow to the very spirit of innovation he embodied. How can someone so full of life, so electric with ideas, and so committed to the future suddenly be absent from it? Professor Chang was not just a lecturer; he was a human catalyst, an Associate Professor, Teaching Stream, who turned entrepreneurial dreams into reality for legions of Waterloo students.

His classes were famous—not for being easy, but for being transformative. He taught venture creation, business models, and startup processes, but his true lesson was always about resilience. He taught us that “it’s not failure, it’s iteration.” Now, the community must learn its hardest lesson: how to iterate forward when the source of so much inspiration is gone. His 2018 Distinguished Teacher Award was a small recognition for a man whose influence on the real-world success of his students was immeasurable. His legacy is not in research papers, but in the CEOs he mentored and the entrepreneurial courage he instilled.

The Genuine Interest That Changed Lives

What set Professor Chang apart was the depth of his mentorship. Students noted his “genuine interest in their lives” and the “countless late nights engaging in valuable discussion.” He understood that true education is a relational endeavor, not just a transaction of knowledge. As the Enterprise Co-op Coordinator, he didn’t just place students; he invested in them, bridging the gap between academia and the tough, thrilling world of the startup ecosystem.

His dedication went beyond the campus, taking students out to places like Communitech and Velocity Garage, physically immersing them in the culture he wanted them to embrace. This hands-on, high-energy approach ensured that the thousands of students he taught annually were not just educated, but equipped to be creators, builders, and problem-solvers. The loss is not just to the Conrad School; it is a profound setback for the entire Canadian innovation landscape he helped seed.

Legacy of Light: Iterating Forward Through Grief

To Professor Chang’s family, friends, and colleagues, we extend the university’s deepest condolences. Your grief is shared by a community that has lost its biggest champion. Now is the time for all of us who were taught by him to put his most fundamental lesson to use: when faced with an obstacle (even one as devastating as this), we must iterate.

We honor Professor Chang by continuing his work with the same energy he brought to it. We must ensure that the entrepreneurial programs he led thrive, that his passion for experiential learning continues, and that we mentor the next generation with his trademark enthusiasm. Rest in power, Professor Chang. Your teachings will echo in every successful pivot and every student who dares to build something new.