As the University's 60th Anniversary celebrations continued through the dead of winter and into spring, a number of events took place across campus commemorating sixty years of innovation.
Student and staff volunteers came together to celebrate the University of Waterloo’s 60th anniversary by participating in The Food Bank of Waterloo Region’s annual Canstruction event. In partnership with the Federation of Students Food Bank, the #UWaterloo60 team built an anniversary-themed structure made out of more than 1,327 canned food items. Offering two perspectives thanks to engineering and design advice from Waterloo’s Engineering Society, the stack of black and yellow cans looked different when viewed from the side and the top, commemorating the University’s special anniversary and Waterloo's rich history of giving back to the community.
The University's Alumni Council announced that nominations were open for the 60th Anniversary Alumni Awards, building on the legacy of the 50th Anniversary awards. Ten new recipients would be named alumni award winners in recognition of their transformative contributions to the University.
On April 11, the University of Waterloo officially launched the Celebration 2017 Legacy Project, seeking student proposals for a creative and innovative design that would transform the Arts quad in the heart of campus, with the winning team receiving a $10,000 prize. Multidisciplinary student teams began organizing almost immediately.
On April 20, the Retirees Association in partnership with University Relations, invited past alumni, staff and professors to a 60th tour on campus and a luncheon. Retirees were taken on guided tours by student ambassadors, who directed the tours to some the recent additions to the campus skyline, while also providing opportunities for retirees to revisit some of their favourite haunts.
President Feridun Hamdullahpur announced the creation of the University of Waterloo President’s Community Impact Awards at the President's Community Breakfast held on April 28 at THEMUSEUM. The awards were established to recognize individuals or teams of community members, students, staff or faculty who embody the University’s spirit of innovation and contribute to making Waterloo Region strong and prosperous. Up to four awards in two categories - Community Leader and University Champion - would be handed out.
A host of 50th anniversary events also took place during the spring, including:
On May 8, the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences marked 50 years with a special event that included lunch in the AHS expansion building and a School of Public Health and Health Systems’ public lecture featuring the Honourable A. Anne McLellan, P.C., O.C., A.O.E., whose talk was entitled The legalization and regulation of cannabis – what does it all mean? The special event kicked off a year of celebrations for the faculty, including a legacy project involving a redesign of the AHS courtyard, an anniversary booth at the UW Canada Day event, and a special 50th anniversary focus at Reunion and the annual AHS Fun Run.
On May 12, as friends, colleagues, local government, alumni, students, staff and the public looked on, William Tutte was honoured through the naming of the road connecting all three Mathematics buildings to “William Tutte Way.” Tutte, a professor in the Combinatorics & Optimization Department in the Faculty of Mathematics from 1962 to 1995, was recognized not only for the instrumental role he played in establishing the identity and reputation of the Faculty of Mathematics but for his extraordinary, life-saving contributions to breaking German codes for the British armed forces during World War II.
On March 31, the David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science kicked off a year of celebration with a panel of distinguished alumni. Members of the School were invited to join alumni panellists Kellogg S. Booth, Professor Emeritus, Department of Computer Science, University of British Columbia, Joanne McKinley, Software Engineer, Google, Sylvia Osborn, Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science, Western University and The Honourable Liz Sandals, MPP, Legislative Assembly of Ontario, to reminisce and hear stories of their unique experiences at Waterloo.
The Earth Sciences Museum hosted a 50th Anniversary Celebration Family Day on Saturday, June 10.
The School of Architecture celebrated its 50th anniversary with a public lecture and viewing of the Waterloo Architecture in Venice exhibition.
The University's Federation of Students marked a significant milestone as well, celebrating 50 years since its incorporation as the student government for the University of Waterloo’s undergraduate students with a gala held at Federation Hall on Saturday, April 22.