Laurier celebrates 10 years of community impact by donors

April 26, 2019
For Immediate Release

Waterloo – Wilfrid Laurier University marked the successful conclusion of the most ambitious fundraising effort in the university’s history, Catalyst: the Campaign for Wilfrid Laurier University, which raised $130 million over 10 years to help build new facilities, programs and provide student support.  

The success of the Catalyst campaign transformed lives and skylines, attracted an additional $137 million in government funding and inspired 17,000 new donors to Laurier.

“The Catalyst campaign was an exceptional and exciting time that brought individuals, industry and government together in support of Laurier students,” said President and Vice-Chancellor Deborah MacLatchy. “Every day, when I look around at the new facilities, programs and services that have been made possible through donations to this campaign, I am reminded of the power of partnership.”

Some of the major projects and programs created under the Catalyst campaign include:

• The Building Canada’s Best Business School campaign (a pillar of the Catalyst campaign), which included:
  • Naming the world-class Lazaridis School of Business and Economics and its new home, Lazaridis Hall.
  • The Lazaridis Institute for the Management of Technology Enterprises.
  • The Schlegel Centre for Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation.
• The new Laurier Brantford YMCA.
• More than 300 new scholarships created.
• An increase in the Laurier endowment from $36 million to $87 million.
• The Nadjiwan Kaandossiwin Gamik Indigenous Centre for Laurier students.
• Many community-facing programs to complement purposeful learning at Laurier, including:
  • The Conrad Institute for Music Therapy Research and the first Music Therapist-in-Residence at Laurier.
  • The Jumpstart to Higher Education program, preparing at-risk youth for post-secondary careers.
  • The Walls to Bridges program, providing education and skills for incarcerated women.
  • The Sun Life Financial Centre for Physically Active Communities, supporting children’s health and wellness.

The university hosted an event recently in Lazaridis Hall to celebrate donor impact and focus on Laurier’s mission to educate with purpose and prepare students to make a real difference in local and global communities.

Speakers, including MacLatchy; Micheál Kelly, dean of the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics; Kevin Davis, mayor of Brantford; and Jeremy Hodgkins, a Laurier student fundraiser, thanked Laurier’s highly engaged donors for the lasting transformations they have made in their community.

The event welcomed a number of noteworthy guests, including members of the campaign cabinet for Building Canada’s Best Business School; local business community leaders; Laurier faculty and senior leadership; and local government representatives (including Waterloo Mayor Dave Jaworksy, Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic and Kitchener Centre Member of Parliament Raj Saini).

To learn more about the impact of the Catalyst campaign, visit the Catalyst Report for campaign stories, pictures and multimedia.

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About Laurier

Wilfrid Laurier University excels at educating with purpose. Laurier’s holistic approach to learning integrates innovative programming with hands-on experience outside the classroom to ensure Laurier graduates are not only ready for the real world but are inspired to leave their mark on the world. Community is at the heart of all we do. Laurier inspires students to engage in campus life and the broader community, leading to high levels of student satisfaction and engaged alumni who carry the Laurier legacy throughout the world. As a community of researchers, leaders and educators, Laurier builds knowledge that serves society and creates connections that have a lasting impact.

Learn more about Laurier’s 19,000+ students in nine faculties in Waterloo, Brantford, Kitchener and Toronto at wlu.ca.