Celebrate Feridun Hamdullahpur’s commitment to the student experience
Give to students in Feridun's honour to enrich all areas of life at Waterloo
During Feridun Hamdullahpur’s early years at the University, he and his wife Cathy lived in Waterloo’s graduate student housing off Columbia Street while their new home was under construction. On nights when he stayed up late to finish work, he would look out to see lights on in other townhouses where future graduates were studying. Seeing those lights, he said, felt like coming home.
But he knew that not everyone felt that way about campus
Waterloo’s sixth president would watch students line up for buses to take them back to the GTA on the weekends. Little kept them at the University beyond classes and exams. Early in his tenure, Feridun vowed to give students more opportunities to build strong connections to Waterloo and each other.
He made a personal commitment to engage the campus community, and interacting with students became one of the greatest pleasures of his presidency. He hosted pop-up cafés, served burgers during welcome events, walked into cafeterias and classes to say hello and stopped by recreational facilities to watch students in action.
Seeing those students succeed was very important to him
During his leadership, he championed the expansion of co-op opportunities, new academic programs and spaces for learning and student activities, including the SLC-PAC expansion and the new Field House. He also placed a significant focus on mental health, spearheading efforts to understand the specific challenges facing students and provide young people with additional resources. His commitment to well-rounded and supportive student experiences shaped one of the pillars of Waterloo’s strategic plan:
This work is now central to Waterloo’s mission — and it will not end with Feridun’s tenure
We know that providing healthy, connected student experiences will enable future alumni to become talented, resilient leaders — to the benefit of all Canadians.
As we celebrate Feridun’s presidency, we invite you to build on his decade of impact with a gift to Waterloo students.
Please give today
You can direct your contribution to one of three areas:
- Catherine and Feridun Hamdullahpur Graduate Scholarship: Awarded annually to a student registered full time in any graduate program at the University of Waterloo
- Waterloo Fund: Provides Waterloo with the ability to fund the current year's most pressing needs
- Student Wellness: Supports student success by ensuring students have access to resources that promote their physical and mental well-being
Join us now and help Warriors thrive for generations to come.
