Events

GreenHouse at United College hosts Chats with Changemakers, giving university students candid insight into building socially focused ventures. The series replaces formal presentations with an egalitarian discussion circle, highlighting the rejected pitches, administrative roadblocks, and sudden pivots that shape impact work.

• Date and Time: Monday, October 5, 2026, from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM EST.
• Location: GreenHouse (UTD 164) and Online via Microsoft Teams.
• RSVP: Reserve a spot through the Chats with Changemakers RSVP Form.
• Virtual Meeting Link: Join us on Microsoft Teams

Penn Bolourchi, founder of goodDEED, entered the housing sector to develop innovative models that reimagine equity and homeownership for everyday individuals. Moving past tidy success stories, this session looks directly into the messy early days of enterprise creation. Penn shares candid reflections about launching a venture prior to feeling completely prepared, challenging entrenched industry conventions, and working through the trial-and-error process of securing seed capital.

In-person guests gather in GreenHouse (UTD 164) for the discussion and stay for dinner and networking between 5:20 PM and 6:00 PM EST. Remote participants are welcome on Microsoft Teams from 4:00 PM to 5:20 PM EST to take part in the conversation and submit audience cards.

Hosted by GreenHouse at United College, Chats with Changemakers offers a candid, low-barrier setting to explore social innovation pathways without corporate gloss.

• Date and Time: Monday, October 19, 2026, from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM EST.
• Location: GreenHouse (UTD 164) and Online via Microsoft Teams.
• RSVP: Reserve a spot through the Chats with Changemakers RSVP Form.
• Virtual Meeting Link: Join us on Microsoft Teams

Practising as a maritime and admiralty lawyer by day, Ashoke Mohanraj is simultaneously an author and aspiring television producer by night. His journey shows how legal grounding and creative expression inform one another, enabling professionals to sustain distinct callings without draining their artistic momentum. Ashoke discusses how to balance structured careers with independent storytelling, explaining how legal knowledge acts as protective armour for grassroots ventures to safeguard community impact.

The event takes place in GreenHouse (UTD 164) with dinner and networking running from 5:20 PM to 6:00 PM EST. Virtual attendees can participate through Microsoft Teams from 4:00 PM to 5:20 PM EST during the guided card questions and open Q&A.

Drop by GreenHouse (UTD 164) for Demo Day! Students from Social Innovators in Training will be showcasing early-stage ventures tackling climate resilience, health equity, community connection and more. They need your real-world insights to refine their work! Expect to encounter innovations like sustainable material solutions transforming ecological challenges, digital platforms advancing donor transparency, assistive technologies restoring mobility, and youth-driven hubs bridging housing and mental health supports. It’s a can’t-miss opportunity to witness how student ingenuity is shaping meaningful change.

What to expect:

• Help students strengthen their ventures by sharing practical feedback on prototypes addressing local and global challenges
• See firsthand innovative ideas emerging from campus—from circular economy models to culturally responsive health tech—designed to build more just and sustainable communities
• Connect with fellow changemakers over light refreshments while exploring how these ventures align with climate action, social justice, and community resilience
• Your perspective matters. Join us to support the next wave of solution-builders turning ideas into impact.

Let us know you'll be coming! 

Chats with Changemakers, presented by GreenHouse at United College, brings the university community together for casual, unvarnished conversations with social impact leaders.

• Date and Time: Monday, November 2, 2026, from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM EST.
• Location: GreenHouse (UTD 164) and Online via Microsoft Teams.
• RSVP: Reserve a spot through the Chats with Changemakers RSVP Form.
• Virtual Meeting Link: Join us on Microsoft Teams

GreenHouse alumna Cherie Wai currently leads Market-Creating Innovation initiatives at World Vision. Her background includes ten years championing ethical supply chain legislation, alongside launching an outdoor backcountry venture that guides first-time hikers through Algonquin Provincial Park. Cherie unpacks her ten-year policy journey, offering practical perspectives on humanizing legislative debates, using data to amplify youth voices, and translating outdoor recreation passions into community-centred initiatives.

The session runs in a hybrid format. In-person attendees meet in GreenHouse (UTD 164) with a hot meal and open networking starting at 5:20 PM EST. The Microsoft Teams stream runs from 4:00 PM to 5:20 PM EST, including the interactive question cards.

GreenHouse at United College hosts Chats with Changemakers to demystify social innovation and showcase the real, non-linear trajectories behind community leadership.

• Date and Time: Monday, November 16, 2026, from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM EST.
• Location: GreenHouse (UTD 164) and Online via Microsoft Teams.
• RSVP: Reserve a spot through the Chats with Changemakers RSVP Form.
• Virtual Meeting Link: Join us on Microsoft Teams

Elizabeth (Liz) Pfisterer directs violence intervention efforts at The HUB Youth Services while maintaining a part-time therapeutic practice. Embedded within local neighbourhoods, she applies public health methodologies to interrupt cycles of harm and build community resilience. Liz breaks down how grassroots intervention operates in frontline settings, discussing how community mental health support connects with systemic advocacy to foster sustained local healing.

Guests can attend in person at GreenHouse (UTD 164) for the discussion circle, followed by dinner and networking from 5:20 PM to 6:00 PM EST. Virtual participants can join through Microsoft Teams for the facilitated discussion and audience Q&A between 4:00 PM and 5:20 PM EST.

Join us on November 24th from 12:00 to 2:00 PM to celebrate innovative health transformation projects built by students in Health, Computer Science, Math, and Engineering alongside community health partners. Across both afternoons, attendees can test interactive prototypes, talk directly with the teams behind the work, and share thoughts on how artificial intelligence might support more compassionate care throughout Waterloo Region.

You can register here! 

Be inspired by Student Changemakers!

GreenHouse is proud to present the 37th Social Impact Showcase, where the next generation of changemakers from right here on campus will present their ventures. This event marks the conclusion of our Fall 2026 Social Innovators in Training term; following a ten-week journey where students transform ideas into tangible plans for social and environmental good. 

Details:

• When: November 25, 2026
• Time: 4:00-5:30 PM
• Where: Alumni Hall, United College (UTD 201)

You can RSVP here!

Join us on November 26th from 12:00 to 2:00 PM to celebrate innovative health transformation projects built by students in Health, Computer Science, Math, and Engineering alongside community health partners. Across both afternoons, attendees can test interactive prototypes, talk directly with the teams behind the work, and share thoughts on how artificial intelligence might support more compassionate care throughout Waterloo Region.

You can register here!