The Dixon Foundation continues to support opportunities for students to travel for work, volunteering, or study abroad.
When Jonathan Choo arrived in Waterloo, he was puzzled to see so many of his fellow students jetting off on travel and study exchanges all over the world.
“It was hard enough to pay for school and living expenses,” he says. “I had no idea how anyone could afford these trips.”
Indeed, the high cost of travel is a barrier for many students, making it difficult for them to reap the benefits of work, study or travel abroad. This is one reason we are so grateful to donors like Ross and Doris Dixon, who left provisions in their will to help offset these costs. Thanks to Ross and Doris’s generosity, Waterloo Arts students from all economic backgrounds can enjoy the advantages that come with international experiences.
Jonathan, who came to Waterloo to study political science and business, eventually found out about and applied for the Dixon Scholarship. With its support he was able to complete a field-study course in Israel, an academic term in Norway, and a co-op work term in Singapore. The combination was perfect for his interest in international trade, business and politics.
“That scholarship changed my life,” he says. “Each trip was phenomenal in its own way, and I came home with more experience and maturity every time.”
He goes on to explain that in Tel Aviv – one of the world’s top tech cities – he was able to see new ways of developing urban infrastructure to incorporate growth and innovation. In Norway, he learned about the famed Scandinavian commitment to social welfare. In Singapore, he was able to work as a business analyst in an environment completely different from his own.
“None of this would have been possible without the support of the Dixon Foundation, and I’m so grateful,” he says.
“I owe so much of my personal and professional growth to the Dixon Foundation. With the help of this scholarship I was able to travel completely outside my comfort zone – and that’s the best learning experience you can get!”
Jonathan Choo, BA ’18, Honours Political Science & Business Co-op
Currently Senior Project Manager, Haneco Lighting Canada Inc.
Steve Brown, nephew to Ross and Doris Dixon, is President of the Foundation that funds this and several other scholarships. He says he’s sure his aunt and uncle would be pleased to see how their gifts continue to help young people today.
“They didn’t have children themselves, but liked young people very much,” he says. “They were particularly sympathetic to young people who were working hard to advance themselves or who faced disadvantage or disability. I think they’d be very pleased to hear stories like Jonathan’s.”
You can help more students experience the world
There is an urgent and growing need for more international travel awards and bursaries. If you’re thinking of leaving a gift in your will, a bequest to our International Experience Fund will ensure more students like Jonathan will have the opportunity to learn and grow through international co-op and study experiences.
Please contact Kim Bardwell, Arts Advancement Director, at kim.bardwell@uwaterloo.ca or 519-888-4567, ext. 37310 to find out how you can help. Thank you!
