Waterloo’s outgoing Faculty, Staff and Retiree Giving Program chairs say even small gifts can make a big difference in a student’s life
Witnessing how charitable donations helped University of Waterloo students complete their education and achieve their goals demonstrated the importance of the Faculty, Staff and Retiree (FSR) Giving Program for Heather Mair, a professor in the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies and the FSR co-chair for the past six years.
Heather’s ‘eureka’ moment came when a flyer landed on her doorstep featuring a University of Waterloo student she recognized.
“I found that really moving, because if you have a philanthropic approach to life, you like seeing where the resources are going. Seeing a student I knew benefit from FSR support was really meaningful to me,” says Heather.
“I feel very strongly that education should be accessible, and this is a way to support students. That was my entire motivation for joining and co-chairing the FSR Giving Program with Tony Munro (BES ’91) and Rose Vogt (BES ’84). Tony, Rose and Heather are now stepping down as their term concludes.
For those wishing to become FSR donors, Heather offered some straightforward advice: “Do it!”