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Saturday, March 7, 2026 (all day)

BLEND - Business + Design Conference

Join us in March 2026 for BLEND: Business + Design, a conference designed for professionals and students. Hear from designers, leaders, and innovators who share real stories and actionable strategies for turning work into purpose, leading through change, and building meaningful careers. With inspiring talks and hands-on workshops, BLEND equips you with practical skills you can apply immediately. Connect with a community that values courage, optimism, and growth.

Kristen Farjado image
Thursday, October 30, 2025

A designer’s dystopian take on The Great Gatsby

100 years after The Great Gatsby, GBDA alum Kristen Fajardo releases a speculative, queer cyberpunk reimagining of the American classic. Her background in UX and the tech industry shaped both the novel’s content and the entrepreneurial strategies behind its launch.

lunch and learn-Jessica Silverberg
Monday, November 3, 2025 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EST (GMT -05:00)

Lunch and Learn - Jessica Silverberg

Jessica Silverberg graduated from GBDA in 2021 and has built a dynamic career across production, pharmaceuticals, and food services. Currently a Digital Product Specialist at ONroute, she also holds a UX/UI certificate from the University of Toronto. Jessica is passionate about designing intuitive, human-centered digital experiences and is excited to return to GBDA to help students navigate the transition from graduation to job searching.

uXperience Design Jam - Designing Chronic Care that Connects
Saturday, October 25, 2025 9:00 am - 3:00 pm EDT (GMT -04:00)

uXperience Design Jam: Designing Chronic Care that Connects

The uXperience Design Jam, where students collaborate to tackle real-world challenges and create design solutions. This year's theme is Designing Chronic Care that Connects, and challenges participants to explore how design can improve access, empathy, and continuity in chronic care and prevention.

Registration is still open!

Sponsored by Sun Life

Naima Venezia
Thursday, June 12, 2025

From GBDA to Gamified Financial Tools

Naimah Venezia (BGBDA ’25) began her entrepreneurial journey at age seven, inspired by her brother and the book “Rich Dad, Poor Dad.” She founded CoinWa, a gamified financial literacy app for teens, to make financial education fun and accessible. The Global Business and Digital Arts (GBDA) program at the University of Waterloo equipped her with essential skills in business, technology, and design. Through the E-Co-op program, Naimah developed CoinWa with support from mentors and employed fellow students. As she graduates, Naimah aims to enhance financial literacy among young people, preparing them for future financial success.

Friday, June 20, 2025 (all day)

uXperience Design Jam - Designing for Omnichannel Opportunities presented by Co-operators

Presented by Co-operators, the uXperience Design Jam for Spring 2025 is all about Omnichannel Opportunities. Help reimagine how we can spark leads and build trust—online, offline, and everywhere in between. 

This Design Jam runs from June 13th - 20th, starting asynchronously from June 13th - 19th, then in-person on June 20th for final prep and presentations to the Co-operator judging team.

Arts Excellence Awards Glass Sculpture
Monday, May 26, 2025

Arts Excellence Awards in Teaching

Congratulations to Dr. Noorin Manji for receiving the Arts Award for Excellence in Teaching! Dean Alexie Tcheuyap and the Arts Honours and Awards committee are pleased to announce the results of the 2025 Arts Awards for Excellence in Service, Teaching, and Research. The awards recognize outstanding contributions from faculty and staff, with Dr. Manji being honored for her exemplary teaching over the past five years. The awards will be presented this Fall at the annual Celebration of Arts event.