Future students

"Blue Monday" has arrived. This day gets its name for being considered the most depressing day of the year and usually lands on the third Monday of January. With the increased darkness of winter, shorter days and the stress of starting a new study term, the University of Waterloo is focusing on sharing student mental health and well-being supports. Blue Monday also provides an opportunity to bring mental health conversations front and center to reduce the stigma associated with mental health and ensure that access to supports and resources are made easier. 

Before coming to the University of Waterloo, Christy Lee volunteered at hospitals and long-term care homes, working closely with patients and residents to help reduce the workload for staff. But Lee found that with the current communication call system, nurses and personal support workers do not know what types of requests the patients are making, and which patients need immediate help.  

Canadians are buying more electric vehicles (EV) than ever, with one in 10 now owning EVs. The number is set to increase as consumers look for ways to reduce their environmental impact and capitalize on government incentives.

With the growing market share of EVs, there is also an increasing need for talent in the design, development and maintenance of electric vehicles as well as support infrastructure from charging stations, improved battery technology and energy generation.

Collaborating between the University of Waterloo Men’s Varsity Hockey team, United College and the Saugeen Recreation Department, a high-performance hockey camp was developed to foster confidence, pride and relationship building among Indigenous youth and non-Indigenous players from Waterloo. The purpose is to provide a skill-building hockey camp built with traditional teachings of the Saugeen Anishinaabe that help build belonging and pride in all youth.  

During COP28, as I traversed the intricate maze of the event, my mind grappled with the multifaceted nature of my role as an observer. Initially, I contemplated whether my primary duty lay in monitoring negotiations and ensuring accountability or engaging with diverse stakeholders to explore collaborative opportunities, a realization gradually took hold.

The Waterloo Engineering Endowment Foundation (WEEF) is making a historical donation of $750,000 to help improve student spaces across the Faculty of Engineering. This contribution is the latest in a long line of investments made by the student-led fund since its founding in 1989. As the fund has grown so has its ability to support a diverse range of causes from student projects to infrastructure improvements, all with the goal of providing world-class resources and experiences to current and future students.

Global and individual health care is experiencing disruption through a variety of technologies. Building disruptive technologies is at the core of what we do, and since our inception, the University of Waterloo has also been disrupting the boundaries of health.

Explore just some of the health-tech innovations springing up from the University’s ecosystem that we will be keeping an eye on this year.

Dr. John Hirdes, a professor in the School of Public Health Sciences, has been appointed a member of the Order of Canada

The year 2023 has unfolded with a dynamic blend of challenges and opportunities, offering us a fresh page to write the story of our University of Waterloo community.

As we embark towards 2024, we can reflect with pride on the continued dedication and achievements of our students, alumni, researchers and staff — all of whom have played an integral role in shaping on-campus initiatives, global events and cutting-edge education and research.

These trending stories highlight just some of the community’s profound impact on our collective future.

Two University of Waterloo departments earned recognition on the international stage last week in the United Arab Emirates.  

Both Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE) and WatSPEED earned honours at the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Reimagine Education Conference Awards held in Abu Dhabi at Khalifa University.  

Known as the “Oscars of education”, the awards recognize innovative approaches that enhance student learning outcomes and employability.  Award categories include the future of learning, future of universities, future of work and sustainability education.