Thank you for being
the heart of Waterloo
Our Waterloo community has demonstrated so much resilience over the past year — and that’s in no small part, thanks to the dedication of our faculty, staff and retiree donors.
Not only have you given your time and energy to champion and empower countless students across campus, but you’ve also provided financial support to make student success and real-world impact possible.
Your commitment shows great generosity of spirit. But, most of all, it shows leadership — the kind of leadership we need now and into the future to stay resilient and innovative in the face of rising global challenges. Thank you for your dedication to helping students reach their highest potential and for investing in a future of positive impact. We have much to be proud of and so much to look forward to.
Sincerely,
Vivek Goel
President and Vice-Chancellor
A donor-funded scholarship made her unstoppable
The day Tania accepted her offer of admission to the Master of Management Sciences (MMSc) program at Waterloo was, in her words, “a big, big day for me.” While she knew emigrating from India in the middle of a pandemic wasn’t going to be easy, nothing could prepare her for the challenges to come.
Making the transition during COVID-19 meant it was harder to connect with professors and classmates, develop friendships and experience her new surroundings. Well into her second year, Tania never expected she’d still be studying and working from home.
It helped give me motivation, knowing that if I can get this award, it's because donors must have believed in me.
Given those challenges, receiving the University of Waterloo Retirees’ Award was a ray of hope. Not only did it provide much-needed financial support, she says, “It also helped give me motivation, knowing that if I can get this award, it's because the donors must have believed in me.”
She’s made it her mission to prove the value of that investment — and her hard work has already paid off. After she graduates in April, she’ll be stepping into a full-time role as a business analyst for a consulting firm where she’ll help companies solve technology-related challenges. She also plans to continue volunteering for Pink Attitude, an organization that empowers South Asian women in the workforce.
Supporting wellbeing through an equity-informed lens
University is a time of transition in which many students deal with stress, loneliness, homesickness, new relationships and other psychological and emotional challenges. According to Ontario’s Universities, 75 per cent of mental health issues first appear before the age of 25, making university students especially vulnerable. The isolation and anxiety caused by the coronavirus pandemic have only exacerbated the problem.
At Waterloo, the Wellness Collaborative creates an environment in which every student can reach their full potential. Using an equity-informed lens and community development approach, the strategy works to break down systemic barriers to success.
75 per cent of mental health issues first appear before the age of 25, making university students especially vulnerable.
Launch of the Mental Health Literacy Program
With the generous support of donors, the Wellness Collaborative launched a Mental Health Literacy Program to foster a culture of compassion, care and concern on campus. The program trains employees to recognize mental health issues, understand systemic barriers to mental health and intervene to help students and colleagues get the support they need.
Jennifer McCorristan, associate director of Health Promotion, says the program gives support to students, faculty and staff that’s highly targeted to the challenges they’re facing and delivered by the people they feel most comfortable confiding in, such as residence dons, academic advisors, professors and colleagues.
The culmination of two years of research and consultations, the Mental Health Literacy Program officially launched in September 2021. The program will run on an ongoing basis to continue building capacity for mental health support on campus and beyond.
Decades of "giving a little bit" add up to big impact
When Rose Vogt (BES ’84) thinks back on her time as a student in the Faculty of Environment, she has lots of fond memories. But she also remembers struggling to make ends meet, especially in third year after a parachuting accident left her unable to walk, work or pay tuition.
While she eventually finished her degree and accepted her first full-time job in 1984 at the University, she never forgot the struggles she faced as a student.
I gave a little bit monthly for a long time - almost 30 years. I couldn't afford much, but it was the spirit of giving.
From those early days as a Waterloo staff member, Rose started giving a small portion of her pay cheque every month back to the University. She continued to donate over the course of a 34-year career that was entirely dedicated to students, from working at Fed Hall to “saving the Grad House” to supporting student leaders as General Manager of the Graduate Students Association (GSA).
While she says the idea of giving can be difficult if you’re struggling, even the smallest donation goes a long way. “I gave a little bit monthly for a long time — almost 30 years. I couldn’t afford much, but it was the spirit of giving,” Rose says.
Since her retirement in 2019, she’s been actively involved on campus as Co-Chair of the FSR Giving Program. “As a retiree, I recognize that students are our future. They’re the ones — no matter what they’re studying — that are going to fill the roles that keep our society running.”
