SAF Alumni Connections events virtually engage alums across the globe

Wednesday, September 15, 2021

Hong Kong skyline at night

The School of Accounting and Finance (SAF) hosted the first of what we plan will become ongoing event series, SAF Alumni Connections, this past June. One positive aspect of the global pandemic has been the shift to virtual platforms which opened opportunities for SAF to connect virtually with our alums from across the globe. As the University and the world begins to transition out of the pandemic, the SAF Alumni Connections series will continue as a virtual offering to provide more opportunities for us to stay connected and engaged with our alumni.   

For this first event, SAF hosted alums from Hong Kong. The SAF Advancement team extends our sincere thanks to Michael Leung (MAcc ‘07), an alum and the University of Waterloo Hong Kong Chapter President, for working with SAF in planning the first virtual event of this series. Additionally, we extend thanks to Steve Fortin, SAF Director, faculty members Steve Balaban, Changling Chen, and Alan Huang for joining us as special guest speakers, and the UW SAF Alumni Association for their involvement. 

This inaugural event was a wonderful opportunity to connect with a number of SAF alumni living in Hong Kong to thank those that have supported our programs, such as the International Study Trip course. SAF faculty members who joined the event shared details of some of the exciting projects and new developments happening at the School, including news of the Sustainability and Financial Management (SFM) undergraduate program, a first of its kind in Canada, set to launch for Fall 2022.

University of Waterloo sign

SAF alums live and work all around the globe and we look forward to continuing to foster and build connections through this series with a goal of identifying future locations of focus to engage our alums. Looking ahead, we are excited to host SAF alums in New York, California, the West Coast of Canada, Europe, Toronto, and Asia. While we are able to bring together our alumni to connect virtually with faculty, we will be using this opportunity to showcase some of the fantastic accomplishments of our students. 
 

"The SAF Alumni Connections series is an excellent opportunity for SAF to reconnect and cultivate strong relationships with our alums on a regular basis while sharing updates and exciting news about the School and University with our most important stakeholders."

- Steve Fortin, SAF Director

While we are not always able to meet in person, the SAF Alumni Connections series of events will keep alumni connected with the University, provide a platform for them to network, and reacquaint themselves with faculty members who taught them as undergraduate and graduate students.  

We welcome any SAF alum who wishes to help with the coordination of an SAF Alumni Connections event in their area!

Contact: Sheilaah Guthrie, Associate Director Advancement.