Tina Roberts shares her passion for supporting Waterloo

There are so many reasons to support the University of Waterloo. I have 40 years of amazing memories as a proud Waterloo alumnus and employee. As I’ve watched the campus grow, evolve and mature, so have I, and my experiences and the people I continue to learn from have helped make me become the person I am today.

My giving to Waterloo began in 1983, and I chose areas to support that resonated with my interests.

While I worked in the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, I saw those smart Health Studies students working hard with minimal scholarships so I started giving regular gifts to the Applied Health Sciences’ Senate Scholarships.

As a theatre lover, I found the on-campus theatre performances and creative set designs fantastic, but the Theatre of the Arts needed a refresh so I chose to support the theatre upgrade project.

The School of Architecture students, alumni, faculty and staff are incredibly talented. Students and two Waterloo alumni played a key role in developing the award-winning booth for Ontario Universities’ Fair (OUF), so I started supporting the Architecture Senate Scholarship Fund to support bright, creative Architecture students. As the director of Marketing and Undergraduate Recruitment, the OUF is a critical recruitment initiative and the high-quality, innovative booth made our job easier.

No matter what I supported over the last 33 years, helping the university be the best that it can be also makes my city a better place to live. We all benefit from a university where talented people can have their ideas flourish.

As I celebrate my 60^thbirthday alongside the university’s 60^th, I reflect on some of my best memories: meeting my husband at the Grad House in my third year; knowing all of the University Presidents that have led Waterloo and working closely with most of them; and working with talented students, faculty, and staff on the University of Waterloo front entrance sign.

As I look to the future, I foresee a time that when the University of Waterloo is mentioned in conversations and in the media around the world, people immediately say “Waterloo – it’s one of the most innovative universities in the world.”

I’m extremely proud of my connection to Waterloo, as a grad, staff member and donor. The people at Waterloo do incredible work and it’s been an honour to be part of this great institution for 40 years.