June 13, 2025
After battling blazes for 31 years with Toronto Fire Services, Christopher Wilvert traded in his bunker gear for retirement in 2019. Travelling and spending more time pursuing his passions, especially his long-time interest in Buddhism, topped his to-do list.
Wilvert’s retirement began as planned, for the most part.
What he didn’t anticipate was enrolling in full-time degree studies, embarking on study-abroad experiences, finding an inspiring academic mentor and being accepted into a master’s program.
On June 12, Wilvert crossed the convocation stage at Wilfrid Laurier University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religion and Culture, proving it’s never too late to pursue your passion.
L-R: Jason Neelis, associate professor; Christopher Wilvert; Ashwani Kumar Peetush, associate professor.
Wilvert's interest in religion and culture — particularly India, South Asia and the transmission of ideas along the Silk Road — began in the mid-1990s. Working in Toronto's Parkdale neighbourhood, home to the second-largest Tibetan diaspora outside Asia, offered Wilvert opportunities to learn about Buddhism and South Asian culture. He visited Nepal several times and often attended Tibetan cultural centres during visits by high lamas.
Wilvert’s curiosity led him online to search for articles on the ancient region of Gandhara, located in what is now northwestern Pakistan, which once served as a hub of trade and cultural exchange between East and West along the Silk Road. Papers by Laurier Associate Professor Jason Neelis, who specializes in South Asian religions and history, particularly inscriptions and manuscripts from ancient Gandhara, frequently appeared in Wilvert’s search results.
Wilvert in Nepal at a statue of Lord Shiva.
“I read many articles by Dr. Neelis,” says Wilvert. “Usually, the authors of these papers are located in far-off places, but when I looked into Dr. Neelis and his work, I realized he was at Laurier, which wasn’t far from me at all. That’s when I decided to start taking courses at Laurier and keep learning.”
Wilvert with friends in Nepal.
Wilvert began part-time studies at Laurier in 2017. Still working as a firefighter, he commuted from Toronto to Laurier’s Waterloo campus for the first two years of his studies. By 2020, he had retired and moved to Stratford with his wife, Lisa, to be closer to campus as a full-time undergraduate student.
“Entering the full-time program was great,” says Wilvert. “I was able to take multiple courses with Dr. Neelis, including one on Sanskrit, and I fell in love with it. I wanted to keep learning more.”
Recognizing his student’s passion, Neelis, in collaboration with Laurier International, connected Wilvert with a study-abroad opportunity through the Rangjung Yeshe Institute, an affiliate of Kathmandu University in Nepal.
“Christopher’s enthusiasm for learning is remarkable — not only in the focus areas of South Asian religions and cultures, particularly the history of Buddhism — but also in his broader academic pursuits... His intellectual curiosity has made an impression within the program.”
Jason Neelis, associate professor, Religion and Culture.
In late 2022, Wilvert and his wife relocated to Kathmandu for nine months so he could further his studies in Sanskrit, Classical Tibetan and Buddhist philosophy. Credits earned through Kathmandu University counted toward his Laurier degree.
“Learning these languages has been the highlight of my Laurier experience,” says Wilvert. “It has opened up some very exciting doors for me.”
In January 2025, Wilvert attended the Woodenfish-Waksaw Seminar on Gandhāra Buddhism, a 10-day event in Pakistan dedicated to the study of ancient Gandhara’s history and culture. The seminar accepts just 30 participants each year to explore iconic sites, engage in hands-on excavation and attend lectures by experts from Pakistan and abroad. Wilvert was the only undergraduate student admitted to the 2025 offering.
“Christopher’s enthusiasm for learning is remarkable, not only in the areas of South Asian religions and cultures and the history of Buddhism, but also in his broader academic pursuits,” says Neelis. “He has furthered his interest in languages during his time at Laurier and is among the first students to study Sanskrit here. His intellectual curiosity has made an impression within the program.”
Wilvert visiting ruins in Swat Valley, Pakistan.
Wilvert’s passion and dedication have led him to pursue graduate work. In September, he returns to Laurier to begin a two-year Master of Arts program with a focus on the literary culture of Gandhara, including the Dharmapada, a collection of verses attributed to the Buddha and one of the most widely read Buddhist scriptures.
“Being able to pursue further studies in this area is something that has always appealed to me, but I figured it would never be possible because it’s a smaller, niche field,” says Wilvert. “But being at Laurier and working with Dr. Neelis has brought me to this point, and it’s really incredible.”
Wilvert hopes to return to Pakistan during his studies to assist Neelis with research on the Upper Indus petroglyphs and inscriptions. He also looks forward to continuing studies in philosophy with Associate Professor Ashwani Kumar Peetush.
Reflecting on his journey as a mature student, Wilvert said learning isn’t a race to be finished.
“When I began at Laurier, I had no expectations other than being curious and seeing where that could take me. Everyone here has been fantastic and very supportive of my ideas. No one has ever said, ‘No, you can’t do that.’ They’ve always said, ‘Let’s see if we can make that happen.’”
