Current students

June is National Indigenous History Month, and on the 21^st—the summer solstice—we mark National Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

For some Indigenous Peoples, it’s a day to gather, celebrate the diversity of Indigenous Peoples, reflect on recent achievements and dream for the future. It’s also a chance to catch up with friends and family while enjoying an extra-long day of traditional food, music, conversation and games. First and foremost, I wish those celebrating a fun and relaxing day to remember.

Dr. Peter Huck, a civil and environmental engineering professor and Water Institute member dubbed “The Wayne Gretzky of the Water Industry,” is celebrating a remarkable 30 years as the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Chair in Water Treatment.

Growing up on a reserve, Amanda Michano’s (PharmD ’22) dream of working in health care was sparked by a visit from a pharmacist.

“I was in awe of the pharmacist who came to help me understand how to use my inhaler for my asthma,” Michano says. “It was in that moment that I knew I wanted to help teach people how to use their medication.”

Dr. Scott Leatherdale, a professor in the School of Public Health Sciences who has been diagnosed with terminal cancer, gave this address to more than 600 students at the University of Waterloo's 126th Faculty of Health convocation:

Convocation is a time of immense pride and celebration across campus. It is also a day filled with tradition, as family, faculty and friends come together to celebrate the achievements of Waterloo graduates.

It takes many community members to bring this large celebration to life. This spring, more than 170 staff volunteered their time as convocation ambassadors making sure ceremonies ran smoothly, while 127 students served as ushers, wayfinders and accessibility assistants to thousands of Waterloo graduates and their families.

Anna Liebenberg ( BASc ’22) and Shreshth Mehra ( BASc ’22) bonded over a mutual love of fitness.

Both, however, experienced moments of isolation in their athletic pursuits. For Mehra, it was when he was training for Iron Man, a long-distance triathlon event. For Liebenberg, it was when she was lifting weights at the gym without help from a personal trainer.

The Government of Canada has awarded more than $1.3 million to University of Waterloo researchers to support small modular reactors (SMRs) research using nuclear energy and materials to protect health, safety, security and the environment. 

Over the past year, the Faculty of Arts welcomed four new faculty members as part of the Black Faculty and Indigenous Faculty Cluster Hiring Initiative. Among the four new faculty members is Jay Havens, a multi-media Two-Spirit artist, educator, collaborator and proud citizen of the Mohawk (Kanien’kehà:ka) Bear Clan from Six Nations of the Grand River.  

There is a vibrancy and a sense of excitement that flows across our campus in the spring as we prepare to welcome our graduating students for convocation. It is our honour to participate in fourteen ceremonies this week.

We are honoured to begin a new tradition this year with the inclusion of an Eagle Staff to our convocation ceremonies. The staff was presented to the University in March, and reflects the wisdom, strength, and honour of those that carry it in representation of Nations across Turtle Island.