Awards, Honours and Rankings

Convocation marks a significant milestone for University of Waterloo graduates. This year, 14 outstanding students have been chosen to represent the graduating Class of 2025.

Their selection as valedictorians demonstrates their dedication and creativity within their faculties. Below, they share parts of their academic journeys filled with inspiring tales of overcoming challenges and embracing opportunities for growth.

For Eloise Fan, studying at the University of Waterloo was never about choosing a single path — it was about creating one that merged her passions for theatre and climate change.  

As she graduates with a joint honours degree in Environment, Resources and Sustainability and Theatre and Performance (co-op), she is being awarded the Alumni Gold Medal for outstanding academic achievement in the Faculty of Environment as well as the Departmental Award for distinguished academic achievement. 

The University of Waterloo is pleased to award six honorary doctorates at Spring 2025 Convocation, the highest honour conferred by the University. 

Honorary doctorates recognize individuals with outstanding achievement, whether academic or through service to society. This year’s recipients have made significant developments and contributions to their fields in engineering, healthcare, finance and science. 

Disney Lam’s (BMath ’14) father supported her love of technology from a young age, giving her tasks like setting up computer networks in the family’s home. He inspired her to build a successful career in software engineering, creating ​technical ​systems to drive business ​outcomes​ at tech giants like Google and NVIDIA.

Glen Anthony Schnarr (BES ’74), a graduate of the School of Planning at the University of Waterloo, left an indelible mark on the lives of those who knew him.

Twelve senior student teams from the Faculty of Engineering competed in this year’s Norman Esch Entrepreneurship Awards for Capstone Design, pitching their startup ideas to a panel of judges who awarded over $100,000 across all 12 teams.    

Each team delivered a three-minute business pitch to showcase their entrepreneurial and innovative approach to solving a real-world problem. These solutions ranged from a device that improves sleep quality and cognitive functioning in children with epilepsy, to a highly porous material that can improve oil spill cleanups. 

Graduate student success is built on strong mentorship, and this year’s four Award of Excellence in Graduate Supervision winners exemplify what it means to be outstanding mentors, advisors and role models.

Six researchers at the University of Waterloo have been awarded more than $7.5 million in funding to support their research.  

The funding is made possible through the Canada Research Chairs (CRC) Program, which invests up to $311 million annually to attract and retain some of the world’s most accomplished and promising minds.