Friday, June 5, 2026

Previous | Next

• Creating Belonging from the First Visit: How Marketing & Undergraduate Recruitment Supports Inclusive Tours and Events
• Your ideas could solve the affordable housing crisis
• A community effort with extraordinary impact 

Creating Belonging from the First Visit: How Marketing & Undergraduate Recruitment Supports Inclusive Tours and Events

A message from the office of the Associate Provost, Campus Support and Accessibility.

It is National AccessAbility Week (NAAW), and each day this week we are featuring a different University initiative that demonstrates a commitment to advancing accessibility and disability inclusion. Today, we are featuring Marketing & Undergraduate Recruitment’s work to design accessible tours and events that welcome all students to the University campus.

As the first point of contact for many prospective students and their families, MUR approaches every tour and recruitment event with accessibility and inclusion in mind. For example, MUR has implemented a default accessible tour route to ensure ramps, elevators, and pathways are part of the standard visitor experience. Student Ambassadors are also required to bring a speaker with an adjustable microphone to every tour. If walking tours are not feasible, prospective students and their supporters have the option to register for live virtual campus tours.

These default practices support universal design, reducing the need for forced disclosure of disabilities or mobility barriers. At the same time, prospective students and guests are encouraged to share specific accessibility needs through the booking webforms or by contacting MUR directly. This allows for tailored adjustments, such as visiting accessible rooms and spaces in residences.

Accessible practices are also a core part of Ambassador training. Ambassadors are trained to speak clearly, pace conversations thoughtfully, and provide visual descriptions that both support navigation and illustrate the aesthetic and historical features of campus. Training emphasizes that every individual has unique needs within learning and work environments, and that inclusive practices benefit everyone.

Overall, these practices demonstrate MUR’s commitment to owning accessibility and embedding it into planning, training, and delivery. Through these inclusive tours and events, MUR ensures that future Waterloo Warriors experience a sense of belonging from their very first visit, setting the foundation for an accessible and inclusive student journey.

You can book an in-person or live virtual campus tour at Campus Tours.

National AccessAbility Week is just one opportunity to learn about accessibility and disability inclusion initiatives at the University of Waterloo. To stay connected year-round, join the Accessibility Ally Network Microsoft Teams channel or contact aoda@uwaterloo.ca for more information. 

Your ideas could solve the affordable housing crisis

Canada has an affordable housing issue, and the Future Cities Institute and Velocity know that University of Waterloo students are part of the answer.

The Future Cities Innovation Challenge runs June 8-19, 2026, and it's open to every UW student regardless of program or experience level. Over two weeks, student teams will work on real problem spaces centred on building more affordable housing, developing evidence-based, scalable solutions to one of the most pressing issues facing Canadian cities right now.

This isn't a classroom simulation. The challenge puts students in direct contact with housing industry experts from across the country, who will provide mentorship and insights throughout the competition. That kind of access, working through a real problem alongside practitioners in the field, is the sort of experience that complements what you're learning in your courses and sticks with you long after the term ends.

Winning teams will split $15,000 in total cash prizes.

The kick-off event is this Monday, June 8, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. in the Black and Gold Room (SLC 2144). You'll get the full breakdown of problem spaces, the competition schedule, and prizing, and you'll form your team over a light dinner. If you don't have teammates lined up yet, that's what Monday is for.

Teams that advance to the Top 16 must present at the project showcase on Wednesday, June 17 (4:30-6:00 p.m.) at the Innovation Arena, 280 Joseph St, Kitchener. From there, the top eight teams return for final presentations and awards on Friday, June 19 (1:30-4:00 p.m.) at the same location, where they will present their solutions to top government officials from the City of Waterloo, Region of Waterloo and investment firms.

Throughout the two weeks, at least one team member must participate in each piece of the program.

Two weeks. Real problems. Real stakes. Sign up today.

A community effort with extraordinary impact 

A note from the Office of Advancement 

Waterloo faculty, staff and retirees played a huge role in the buzz of Giving Day 2026. You made gifts, jumped into the Giving Day game, shared stories, encouraged colleagues to participate and helped keep the momentum strong from start to finish.

We’re excited to share the results:

• Total raised: $1.04M
• Number of donors: 1,500+

Goose cookie decorating drew a steady crowd and plenty of creative interpretations, while the live gaming session sparked friendly competition and lots of laughter. These activities helped build excitement throughout the day and brought colleagues together.

• # of goose cookies purchased: 1,197
• Number of Giving Day game entries: 17, 500+
• Top 5 areas receiving bonus funding through gameplay: Conrad Grebel University College, School of Pharmacy, Renison College, University of Waterloo Libraries, and the Faculty of Environment

We hope you’ll take a moment to watch this short video message of thanks for helping to create a Giving Day that truly reflects the strength and heart of our campus community.