An engineering grad shaped by Concordia’s early days
Costa Babalis spent much of his career at the CBC, including as deputy director of media operations and technology before his retirement.
Costa Babalis, BEng 74, has a unique vantage point on Concordia’s history. A retired former deputy director of media operations and technology at the CBC, he graduated from Sir George Williams University in 1974 — the same year the institution merged with Loyola College to form Concordia University.
“When I arrived at Sir George in the late 1960s, I couldn’t have imagined how deeply those years would shape me,” Babablis recalls. “I look back on that time with mixed emotions — grateful for the lessons learned, but mindful of the challenges ahead.”
Finding a foothold
Born in Greece, Babalis arrived in Montreal as a newcomer, forging a new life under trying circumstances. “It was an incredibly difficult time,” he says. “There were no government assistance programs for immigrants or young people back then, so work was the only means of survival.”
Despite those hardships, Babalis steadily built a path forward. He earned an electronics technical diploma from an evening trade school before setting his sights on university.
“Pursuing higher education felt like the natural next step,” he says. “It was always my ambition to advance my skills and knowledge in electronics and engineering.” Sir George stood out.
“It felt welcoming and was becoming recognized for its high-quality engineering program,” Babalis recalls — an environment that helped him to persevere during a demanding period of his life.
Lessons beyond the classroom
As Babalis completed his degree, the university itself was undergoing a major transformation. The merger that would create Concordia University signalled growth and possibility. “It meant a larger institution with more resources, which was a huge positive,” he says. “More opportunities, more funding and more resources.” Despite the significant change, he remembers that the sense of community endured.
Babalis (front row, far left) and fellow engineering students at Sir George Williams University.
Much of that feeling was thanks to the faculty members. Babalis credits professors such as Hugh McQueen, BEng 54, Charles Giguère, Venkat Ramachandran and Andreas Antoniou, among others, for leaving a lasting impression. “They were not only experts in their fields, but compassionate mentors who cared deeply about their students’ success,” he says.
That support system, along with Babalis’s persistence, paid off after graduation. He had opportunities with organizations such as the National Research Council and Northern Telecom, but ultimately chose the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
“The CBC gave me the chance to work with some of the very first computer applications in broadcasting,” he says. “That was a unique opportunity at the time.”
Babalis joined the CBC as a project engineer and manager before becoming deputy director of media operations and technology, where he helped guide the broadcaster through technological change. His early adoption of bit-serial digital (SDI) technology played a role in making the CBC one of North America’s largest digital network facilities.
Reflecting back, Babalis says he feels a deep sense of accomplishment — both for his career and the institution that helped shape it. Looking ahead fills him with hope.
“Perhaps one of my five grandchildren will attend Concordia someday,” he says. “It’s an opportunity to start life in the right direction — and to contribute to society in a meaningful way.”