Meet UCalgary’s first Pathy Fellow

For Bill Zheng, the desire to build stronger, more compassionate communities has never been confined to the classroom. 

For the new University of Calgary alum, it has been shaped through his experiences in nursing, his work in social innovation, and his commitment to creating spaces where people feel seen and heard. Now, that passion is shaping the impact he wants to have beyond graduation. 

The Bachelor of Nursing graduate from the Faculty of Nursing has been named a 2026-27 Pathy Foundation Fellow, becoming the first student from UCalgary to receive the national award. The fellowship gives Zheng a rare opportunity to spend a full year focused entirely on growing a community-driven initiative.

“The first time I heard about the Pathy Fellowship was in 2024, and I was immediately drawn to its structured cohort model and the incredible networking opportunities it offers,” says Zheng. “Having worked in the social innovation and changemaking space for the past four years, I was thrilled to learn I had been selected as a fellow.”  

A year to focus on what matters most 

At a time when many new graduates are balancing competing priorities, the Pathy Foundation Fellowship offers something different: time, trust and support. 

Each Fellow receives $50,000 in funding to cover living expenses and project costs, allowing them to fully dedicate themselves to a community they care about and initiatives they want to grow. 

The program goes beyond funding; it connects Fellows with mentors, peers and immersive learning experiences designed to support both personal and professional growth. 

“The Pathy Foundation Fellowship is unique in Canada for its combination of flexible funding, immersive learning opportunities and deeply personalized support,” says Courtney Murdoch, impact and engagement manager with the Pathy Foundation Fellowship. “It enables Fellows and their communities to design and implement initiatives that respond directly to community priorities.” 

For Zheng, that combination is what makes the opportunity especially meaningful. 

“Perhaps most importantly, the Fellowship provides something many changemakers rarely have: time,” he says. “Having a full year to focus on this work ... will allow me to fully invest in building stronger communities.” 

Fostering diverse voices through community connection 

At the heart of Zheng’s fellowship year is an initiative grounded in community-building and human connection. 

Zheng’s initiative is centred on the theme of belonging for people who experience social exclusion. Over the next year, Zheng will join a cohort of fellows from across Canada, beginning with an intensive learning experience at St. Francis Xavier University’s Coady Institute in Nova Scotia. From there, he will continue developing the program within the community, supported by the network of mentors and peers that makes the Pathy Fellowship so appealing. 

By weaving these lived experiences into conversations around care and service systems, Zheng hopes to foster empathy and more inclusive approaches, particularly in fields such as health care. 

Murdoch says this kind of work is exactly what the fellowship is designed to support. 

“Community building is a powerful tool for advancing social inclusion, and the program recognizes that meaningful change often begins with building understanding across communities,” she says. 

The impact of nursing education 

Zheng’s approach is deeply rooted in his nursing education, where he learned the importance of belonging. 

“My Bachelor of Nursing education at UCalgary played a significant role in drawing me toward this fellowship,” he says. “Nursing taught me the importance of creating dignity, treating people with compassion, and meeting them where they are.”  

What set Zheng apart, Murdoch says, was not only his idea, but the depth of his experience and perspective. 

“Bill’s application was strengthened by his combination of systems thinking, demonstrated leadership, and entrepreneurial experience,” she says, pointing to his work across community care and social innovation spaces.  

A different approach to care 

Zheng’s work in the non-profit and social enterprise space has been building for years. As co-founder of RadiCare Ventures, he helped launch Calgary’s first built-in washroom attendant program in the East Village; the team started working as soon as the washroom opened to the public. The initiative is designed to create safer, more-welcoming public spaces while employing individuals facing barriers to work.

At the same time, he co-founded the Calgary Pop-Up Care Village, a festival that brings together dozens of organizations to offer free health care, food, clothing and social services in an environment centred on dignity, creativity and connection. Together, these initiatives reflect Zheng’s commitment to building communities rooted in care and inclusion. 

As Zheng prepares to begin this next chapter, he is focused on what matters most: creating spaces where people feel a true sense of belonging. 

Applications for the next cohort of the Pathy Foundation Fellowship open on Sept. 1. Learn more about the program by visiting Pathy Foundation Fellowship website.