Blog posts archive

I am in my first co-op work term as the Communication and Marketing Assistant for the Alumni Relations department of the University of Waterloo. Before coming into this work term, I had very little understanding of how the department operated. The only clue I had was that Alumni Relations deals with donations made by alumni to support the University. I really cannot say the same anymore.

In 1971, I enrolled at University of Waterloo at age 15, the youngest student ever up to that time at UWaterloo. After obtaining my BSc in 1976, I met Dr. Stephen Hawking who gave me the life-long resolve to persevere against any odds. I returned to UWaterloo via the correspondence program to earn a BA in Classical Studies in 1990.

I’m not much of a gambler, so it’s quite unlikely that you’ll find me in a casino or even buying a lottery ticket as the odds are stacked against me and I’m not one to bet on good luck.

Fall is here again and that means it is time for Reunion and the AHS Fun Run. Coming back to the University of Waterloo for events such as this has always been part of my life.

It’s been almost 10 years since I graduated from the BMath program. On graduation day, if you had asked me where I saw myself in the future, “living in a rural village in Nicaragua” would not have been my answer.  But yes, even out here, everything I need to know I learned from UWaterloo Math.

I always look forward to brilliant student moments on-stage. Sometimes, my students have absolutely no idea why their work is being commended… but I recognize them anyway. I’m thrilled when these young student-actors take informed character risks and articulate some rationale for their choices!

Alumni Relations had the opportunity to ask alumna Amanda Kind (BA ’06, Music) about her role as Artistic Director for KW Glee. The youth pop choir of 112 combined local teenagers who just won the title of Show Choir Canada and performed three sold-out shows this June.

In your role as Artistic Director for KW Glee, what are some of your main responsibilities?

In high school I spent many nights debating whether to study design or business. I made the decision to apply and attend the Arts and Business Co-op program at the University of Waterloo, fulfilling my desire to study both art and business. The ability to shape my own program, complimented with the co-op experience, has shaped the person I have become today, that person being a wildly happy and passionate entrepreneur.

During my time at UWaterloo, I’ve picked up a lot of titles. President of Entrepreneurship Society at UWaterloo has been the main title I’ve associated myself with over the last year - probably because this has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my university career.

Sometime in the Fall of 2013, I heard about an opportunity for faculty, staff, and alumni to travel as a group to Whitehorse, Yukon the following summer to work on a Habitat for Humanity Canada Builds project the following summer. In August 2014, I found myself on a plane across the country, ready to do just that on the first annual Waterloo Habitat for Humanity trip.

From the time I started my under-graduate degree, I was enthusiastically waiting for the day I would complete my degree and join my fifty year old family business of metal recycling known as Lucky Group. In 2005, I moved back to our hometown of Dubai after completing most of my degree while I continued to finish my last couple of courses at my own pace.

It's raining heavily. I'm sitting with my co-founder Daxal and all-star intern Rachel at the Blueprint/PCH headquarters. Only an hour left before we have to pitch to nearly 400 University of Waterloo alumni at the annual alumni event. Time to hustle. I dispatched our UberX ride and gathered our things.

In fall 2013, a group of University of Waterloo students came together to establish Bridges to Prosperity’s first Canadian university chapter. Bridges to Prosperity is a not-for-profit organization with a vision to improve the lives of impoverished communities around the world by eliminating rural isolation.

During my year-long graduate studies at the Masters of Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology, I was exposed to the raw talent, creativity and motivation University of Waterloo students possess in developing innovative and cutting edge ideas for research and businesses. 

On October 27, 2014, eight UWaterloo PhD and one BA Psychology grads from the late 1960’s and early 70’s plus partners, held a “mini-reunion” on a plantation house just outside of Nashville, Tenn.

At the Games Institute at the University of Waterloo, we understand that games can be used to motivate players to part-take in real world (aka non-game) activities.

Games motivate by providing three things: the sensation of being and becoming competent in a skill, the feeling of being in control, and by providing social contact.

I never really thought about being an alumna during my first few years as a UWaterloo student. Working as a co-op student for Alumni Relations was definitely an eye opener for me. Who knew there was a whole extra chapter in our lives that would begin after convocation?

The University of Waterloo is known as one of the top universities in Canada, especially for Math and Engineering. But few people realize that UWaterloo has a Department of Drama and Speech and Communication that also has a great reputation.