Friday, August 21, 2026

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• Waterloo welcomes next Diefenbaker Chair
• From banners to totes
• Give your gently used items a second life through the Free Store

Waterloo welcomes next Diefenbaker Chair

This is an excerpt from an article that was originally on the Waterloo News website.

The University of Waterloo is pleased to welcome Dr. Priscilla Layne as the Right Honourable John G. Diefenbaker Memorial Chair in German Literary Studies. An internationally recognized scholar in German literature, film, Afrofuturism and Black German studies, Layne joins Waterloo after 15 years at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Her appointment reflects Waterloo’s continued success in attracting leading international scholars whose work bridges disciplines and connects global and local conversations.

“We are delighted to have Dr. Layne joining us as our first hire for the School of Critical and Creative Humanities,” says Dr. Alexie Tcheuyap, Dean of the Faculty of Arts. “With her multi-disciplinary background, her scholarship is a natural fit for creating collaborative opportunities in research and teaching in the Faculty of Arts.”

As the third scholar to hold the Diefenbaker Chair, a donor-funded endowed research position established in 2007 through the generosity of a private philanthropic foundation, Layne will also lead the Waterloo Centre for German Studies (WCGS), helping expand its role in research, teaching and public engagement.

Read the full story.

From banners to totes

By: Michael Dorr, AVP Marketing & Brand Strategy

Earlier this year, at the Blend Conference hosted at the University of Waterloo Stratford School, I had the pleasure of hearing Ranee Lee speak about the circular economy. Ranee is an industrial designer and professor at OCAD University who founded DESIGNwith in 2022 — a design lab that promotes the upcycling of materials through creativity, design and ingenuity.

Fast forward a few months, when I learned that a handful of our Waterloo street banners had been damaged after a rather brutal winter. Naturally, I jumped at the opportunity to see if we could give the banners a second life by collaborating with Ranee and DESIGNwith on a pilot project.

The outcome, as you can see from the photos, is incredible. Those damaged banners have become seven totes that are not only chic, but strong enough to carry even the heaviest of totable items.  Better still, material that might otherwise have gone to landfill has been transformed by DESIGNwith’s talented sewing collective, a group of Regent Park immigrant women sewists, who brought their ingenuity, artistry and creativity to the project. 

While only seven totes were produced, the project highlights the potential to think differently about the lifecycle of Waterloo materials and future sustainability initiatives.  This one act won't transform Waterloo's environmental footprint, but I hope it is an inspiring and tangible example of how small decisions and partnerships can contribute to larger sustainability goals.

And I know what you’re wondering: how can I get my hands on a tote?  Since we only have seven, they’re being given to our Alumni Relations team to share at future events. So keep your eyes peeled.

Give your gently used items a second life through the Free Store 

University of Waterloo’s Free Store is looking for donations of clean, gently used items to help support a more sustainable, low-waste campus. Staff who are clearing out items from their home are invited to donate items to the Free Store, to be reused by members of the campus community. 

Accepted items include office and school supplies, contemporary books, kitchenware, reusable mugs and water bottles, small electronics such as lamps or keyboards, storage bins, art supplies, games, and home décor. All donations should be clean, functional, and suitable for reuse. Please note that University-owned items, furniture, large appliances, food, clothing, and hazardous materials cannot be accepted. 

Donations can be dropped off at the Sustainability Office in CPH 2385 during scheduled donation hours, at Free Store drop-ins, or by appointment. To arrange a drop-off or ask questions about a potential donation, please contact sustainability@uwaterloo.ca.