Gratitude for co-op and lifelong friendships motivates Ruhuni de Alwis to give back
The University of Waterloo has profoundly shaped every aspect of Ruhuni de Alwis’s (BA ’89, BMath ’89) life, from career foundation to personal relationships.
Through Waterloo’s co-op program, de Alwis built a thriving career, met her partner, Barry Matsui (BMath ’89) and forged lifelong friendships. But when de Alwis first arrived on campus in 1984, she was uncertain about her future.
“Kids today seem to have a clearer idea of what to expect, but back then, it was a leap of faith,” she said.
Fifty-five years ago, de Alwis’ parents made their way to Canada from Sri Lanka. The decision ultimately paved the way for de Alwis to start her Waterloo journey and begin building the family legacy.
“My father wanted my sister and me to have technical careers and Waterloo was the place to go,” de Alwis said.
"Here I am, just so incredibly grateful for the decisions that my parents made,” said de Alwis, recognizing her parents' sacrifice.
“My kids are benefiting from being born in this country and from having parents who have been able to attend a top university.” Following in their parent’s footsteps, de Alwis and Matsui’s two sons, Noah Matsui (MAcc ’19) and Jacob Matsui (MAcc ’21), continued the family tradition by attending the University of Waterloo. In total, more than 12 family members have graduated from Waterloo in mathematics, accounting and engineering programs.
Reflecting on her 40-year journey since starting at Waterloo, de Alwis cherishes the enduring friendships she formed that continue to bring her happiness.
“We're so tight. We've known each other since we were 18 or 19 years old. No matter where we've all ended up, it's just such a gift in life to be able to have those people in our lives,” de Alwis said.
She says they have more than 50 close friends who all still keep in touch. “We still meet with friends from our Frosh week,” de Alwis said. “Last fall, we got together at a cottage. It’s amazing to see how those early bonds have lasted.”
She feels the social connections she made while at the University hold equal value to the academic knowledge they gained.
Ruhuni de Alwis (bottom right) with friends from the Univeristy of Waterloo
“We always hoped our boys would make strong friendships in high school and university like the ones we had at Waterloo. And they have,” she said.
Given how the University has profoundly shaped their lives, de Alwis and Matsui now believe in giving back to the Waterloo community.
Their generous donations to the Waterloo Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE) fund support programming so students can access work-integrated learning opportunities including co-op.
“How could we not be proponents for the next generation of kids coming up through Waterloo,” de Alwis said. “If we can fund the smart kids to have brilliant futures, I hope that those kids stay here and also contribute back.”
During her IT career, de Alwis also hired many co-op students and shared her insights and advice with them. “If you invest in co-op students and are lucky enough to hire them, nurture them in their career, provide them guidance and answer questions when they have them, you’re rewarded with watching them find success.”
There’s no question that de Alwis and Matsui’s journey at Waterloo continues to shape them to this day. Their experience exemplifies how happiness, community and giving back can create a lasting legacy.
