Hellenic Studies began at SFU in 1996 with the establishment of the Hellenic Canadian Congress of British Columbia Chair in Hellenic Studies, made possible by donations from the Hellenic Community of Vancouver with matching funds from the Province of British Columbia. The inaugural chair-holder, Dr. André Gerolymatos (1996-2019), worked tirelessly to secure more funding and resources to expand the discipline at SFU. In 2011, these efforts culminated in the establishment of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Centre for Hellenic Studies, through a generous multi-million dollar donation by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation. The Centre, along with the SNF New Media Lab, has pioneered new ways to teach and learn Greek, and has been active in the community staging events throughout the year.