The University of Waterloo dedicated the atrium of the new Mathematics 3 building today.
WATERLOO, Ont. (Friday, April 27, 2012) - The University of Waterloo dedicated the atrium of the new Mathematics 3 building today, but not in the name of the generous donor who helped make it possible. He wanted his favourite teacher to have that honour instead.
John C.R. Hele is chief financial officer and executive vice-president of Arch Capital Group Ltd. He earned a Bachelor of Mathematics degree from Waterloo. He attended the Hon. W.C. Kennedy Collegiate Institute in Windsor, where he had an inspirational teacher named Bruce White.
“It’s heartwarming that one of our alumni has named this space in honour of his high school math teacher,” said Ian Goulden, dean of the Faculty of Mathematics at Waterloo. “This beautiful atrium is a focal point for our whole faculty, and we’re thrilled to recognize Bruce White for inspiring generations of students to achieve excellence.”
White inspires his students by encouraging them to ask questions and focus on the process rather than the theory behind the problem. In addition to succeeding at competitions, White’s students excel once they reach university-level mathematics classes.
“In each of our lifetimes, there are only a few who make a truly lasting impression,” said Hele. “Bruce White is one of those people, and has done this for thousands of students. He does not just teach mathematics; he teaches how to learn mathematics.”
White has taught more than 8,000 people. Although he retired in 2004, he still runs math clubs for more than 200 students twice a week, and another one for smaller group.
“I never expected this prestigious and enduring honour,” said White. “It is hard for me to find the words to really show my appreciation, but I hope that John knows how grateful l am.”
White is a recipient of the Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence and the University of Waterloo’s Descartes Award for Outstanding Teaching in High School Mathematics. The University of Windsor awarded him an honorary doctorate for his contributions to students and learning.
Image: Bruce White Atrium.
About the Faculty of Mathematics
The University of Waterloo's Faculty of Mathematics is unparalleled in size and strength. It is home to the largest concentration of mathematics and computer science talent in the world with four distinct academic departments (applied mathematics, combinatorics and optimization, pure mathematics, and statistics and actuarial science) and the Cheriton School of Computer Science. Each unit offers programs at the undergraduate, master's and doctoral level. With 6,835 students, 200 full-time professors, and more than 500 courses in mathematics, statistics and computer science, the faculty is a powerhouse of discovery and innovation.
About the University of Waterloo
In just half a century, the University of Waterloo, located at the heart of Canada's technology hub, has become one of Canada's leading comprehensive universities with 34,000 full- and part-time students in undergraduate and graduate programs. Waterloo, as home to the world's largest post-secondary co-operative education program, embraces its connections to the world and encourages enterprising partnerships in learning, research and discovery. In the next decade, the university is committed to building a better future for Canada and the world by championing innovation and collaboration to create solutions relevant to the needs of today and tomorrow. For more information about Waterloo, please visit www.uwaterloo.ca.
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Media contacts:
Amy Aldous
Director
Communications and Research Alliances
Faculty of Mathematics
University of Waterloo
519.888.4567 ext. 38141
aaldous@uwaterloo.ca
Pamela Smyth
Media Relations Officer
Communications and Public Affairs
University of Waterloo
519.888.4777
psmyth@uwaterloo.ca
www.newsrelease.uwaterloo.ca
Waterloo news release no. 38
