In May 2025, our generous and dedicated community of alumni, faculty, staff, retirees, friends, parents and students came together for our first-ever Giving Day at UWaterloo. Alongside more than 1,475 donors, you made a difference on campus and across our broader community, shaping student experiences, fueling teaching excellence, propelling research and innovation and strengthening our local and global connections.
Together, we’re empowering future leaders to build a better tomorrow. Below are just a few of the many ways that your gift has made a real difference this past year.
Your support provided flexible, unrestricted resources that were directed to the areas of greatest need on campus — helping students gain real-world, hands-on experiences, making education more accessible through financial awards and student success funds, giving student-athletes a competitive edge and enhancing campus spaces for learning, relaxation and social connection. Thank you for enriching the student experience.
With the Student Wellness Fund, Waterloo students are finding balance and belonging on their university journey. Your generosity strengthened wellness programs that promote physical and mental well-being and expanded access to vital services on campus and in the community. Together, we're helping students manage the pressures of university life and build the confidence and resilience to thrive.
Gifts to the Indigenous Student Development Fund removed critical financial barriers for students. To date, this financial support has helped over 20 students cover emergency expenses, health supports, travel for remote community-engaged research and technology needs. For recipients, these contributions do more than just fund expenses; they affirm a sense of belonging and care. Thank you for providing the vital resources needed for Indigenous students to persist, thrive and succeed in their educational journeys.
You gave our student-athletes a boost
More than 900 student-athletes across all 36 varsity teams received enhanced support for training, travel, scholarships and wellness. Your generosity helped our student-athletes balance academics and high-performance sport, compete at their highest level, and build leadership skills that last a lifetime. Every gift strengthens school spirit, grows the Warriors community, and ensures our varsity teams are ready to rise to the challenge — on and off their field of play.
Your gifts supported scholarships, awards, department activity and innovative programs — from Psychology, Economics and French Studies to Classical Studies and Anthropology, to Co-op for Social Good, experiential and study abroad opportunities and much more. Every contribution enriches student experience, fuels creativity and opens doors to success — making a lasting difference for their future.
From inspiring future engineers to empowering today’s students, your support helped spark curiosity, strengthen technical skills and foster leadership. Through gifts to student teams, outreach initiatives, hands‑on learning programs and the Waterloo Engineering Endowment Foundation, you ensure that everyone has the opportunity to imagine, create and lead with purpose.
Environment students gained access to an upgraded School of Planning studio space, improved computer lab software and a Lake Erie field course on climate hazards. Scholarships empowered students to excel academically and make community impact. Your support fuels hands-on learning and helps students thrive on campus and beyond.
Your support enabled us to think boldly and lead new transformative initiatives like Healthy Waterloo, provided students with unique and meaningful experiential learning opportunities that elevated their in‑class education and facilitated exercise programs at CCCARE that continue to improve the lives of those impacted by chronic disease. Your generosity has encouraged Health students to be innovative thinkers and to advance research that tackles complex, real‑world health problems along the various dimensions of health.
Thanks to the momentum of Giving Day, the Mathematics 4 (M4) building is rapidly taking shape! Its distinctive frame now rises among our math buildings, drawing students, staff and faculty who pause to watch as the beams go up. We are witnessing in real time the creation of a space that will shape our future. Anticipation is building for its opening during the Faculty’s 60th anniversary. Your support for M4 ensures the next 60 years of research and education are just as innovative as the first! Thank you!
Thanks to donor support, the IDEAL Scholar Program celebrates the pillars of Innovation, Discovery, Engagement, Application and Leadership among Science students. This year, more than 250 graduates received IDEAL medals at Convocation, recognizing their excellence, perseverance and the impact of donor generosity on their academic and personal growth.
You helped students gain real-world experience
Co-op connects students to the world of work, giving organizations fresh perspectives and students real-world experience. This year, thanks to the collective impact of donors, 36 first-term co-op students with financial need received awards that kept them in co-op, eased tuition costs, and boosted pride and confidence. Gifts also supported upper-year peer mentors who guide and equip junior students in their co-op search.
Your gifts have helped SAF students gain access to meaningful learning experiences that extend beyond the classroom. Your generosity strengthened the Centre for Accounting and Research Education, enabled student-led investing, expanded global learning opportunities and provided scholarships that eased financial barriers. Together, these investments help SAF students gain real-world experience, think globally and graduate prepared to lead with confidence and purpose.
Bold ideas are coming to life thanks to donor support. Gifts have helped students design sustainable housing, reimagine cities and create spaces that strengthen communities. Your generosity powered studios, design‑build projects and global experiences where imagination meets purpose — shaping architects who design change and build a more resilient world.
Thanks to donor support, over $197,000 was directed toward priorities at the School of Optometry & Vision Science, including the Waterloo Eye Institute. Every contribution helps us progress through each construction phase of this state-of-the-art facility, and enables us to enhance patient care, education, research and shape the future of vision care in Canada.
Gifts to the School of Pharmacy Student Success Fund fuels the personal and professional development of our students. Students have been able to attend conferences, learn from professionals in their field and present their own research. Together, you’ve helped prepare future pharmacy leaders.
Your support at the Stratford School is transforming lives. By funding awards and enriching student experiences, you’ve sparked creativity, built confidence and prepared students for career success. Every gift helps them learn, collaborate and graduate ready to make an impact.
You enhanced the spaces and tools students need to excel
Students asked for more comfortable study spaces, and thanks to your generosity, the Libraries are investing in furnishings that support well-being and academic success. “Our Libraries are filled every day with students, which means our furnishings are well loved. We're proud to invest in chairs and furnishings that not only last for years but also create a comfortable and welcoming space for students.” - Benny Colussi, Libraries Facilities Manager
Thanks to your support, Grebel moved $30,000 closer to its $4M Windows to the Future capital campaign goal. Your gifts are helping to create a welcoming, energy-efficient and environmentally responsible residence — set to open in summer 2026 — for the next generation of Grebel students.
Thanks to your support, St. Jerome’s University advanced our mission of human formation by supporting mental health and wellness programs, student-centred campus ministry and scholarships. Your generosity prepares students to engage with the world as thoughtful, compassionate leaders.
Thank you for being part of something extraordinary.
On our first-ever Giving Day, the University of Waterloo community showed up with bold generosity and unwavering support. Alumni, students, faculty, staff, parents and friends — your collective impact is shaping the future of innovation, discovery and excellence at Waterloo.