A special day of support for Waterloo

Happy 8th birthday, Giving Tuesday! This global day of giving returns to Waterloo November 30, offering donors 24 hours to make their gift the most powerful it can be by unlocking additional support for programs and services across campus.

How do Giving Tuesday donations help?

They support students like Abby O., who is in her fourth year of Honours History. “I’m the first generation in my family to attend university,” says Abby. “I’m the youngest of four siblings who all wanted to attend university, and the only way that could happen is if we paid our own way. One of my brothers was able to graduate debt free because of Waterloo’s co-op education program. So when I received an offer from Waterloo, my decision was made. Co-op quite literally made my dream come true — there’s no way I could have afforded university without it.”

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Abby has completed five co-op terms, two of which involved working in the federal government with Indigenous Services Canada and, more recently, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office. Both jobs allowed her to flex her passion for digital marketing. She is most proud of her role in producing a series of articles that showcased Indigenous businesses across Canada.  

“The value of co-op is it allows students to build a foundation for their career even before they graduate. The experience and skills we gain in real work settings give us a head start once we make our way into a very competitive world. Because of my work with the federal government, I know that after graduation, I want to pursue a career in public service.”

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She says that graduating next spring in a state of financial stability will alleviate much of the stress many students experience after graduating. “I can’t tell you how good it feels to know I won’t be paying off student debt for years to come.”

Co-op and Experiential Education programs across campus are one of many initiatives funded by Giving Tuesday donations. Sharing stories like Abby’s highlights the power of charitable support and how easy it is to positively impact the experiences of Waterloo students.

We’ve come a long way

Waterloo’s first Giving Tuesday campaign launched in 2014, and in just seven years, our community of supporters has grown from just over 100 donors to almost 1,000, raising close to $1.2 million for academic programs, scholarships, student wellness, athletics, the library, university-wide priorities, faculty priorities and many other initiatives at Waterloo.

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Ralph Chou (OD ’79, MSc ’82) is one of those loyal donors. He’s a retired faculty member and a proud Waterloo grad who’s been supporting Waterloo’s Giving Tuesday campaign for the past five years. “Being a Giving Tuesday donor is a way to give back to Waterloo for the education that made my career possible. The tax credit is also nice, but secondary. Donating through Giving Tuesday is a great way to focus on targeted needs so I know where my gift is going.”

Visit the Giving Tuesday website to see all the challenges and return November 30 to make your gift. 

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