UOIT recognizes its philanthropic community

Donors are vital members of the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) community. That was the message reinforced to donors at a special recognition reception held April 4 at UOIT’s Regent Theatre in Oshawa.

The event brought together more than 150 guests, including donors who have contributed to UOIT since its inception, and many of the students they have helped along the way. This year’s event was special as it also commemorated UOIT’s 10^th anniversary. As valuable community partners, donors have supported UOIT’s students through scholarships and bursaries, and have invested in capital and research projects.

To best exemplify the impact of a recent $1.5 million donation, Daniel Hoornweg, the Jeffrey S. Boyce Research Chair in Natural Gas as a Transportation Fuel, shared his thought-provoking presentation on the importance of sustainable cities. The donation by Jeffrey Boyce is one of the largest given by an individual to UOIT. It enables Professor Hoornweg to research natural gas uses for transportation and to lead collaborations with industry, community and government partners.

“Donors are key to our success, having helped UOIT achieve many of its milestones in the last decade,” said UOIT President Tim McTiernan. “Their generosity has enabled hundreds of students to complete their degrees by providing extra financial support. This event is our opportunity to say ‘thank you.’”

The evening was emceed by Peter Chinweuba, incoming Your SA (Student Association) President. Nawal Chishty, a UOIT alumna working as a Nuclear Engineer with Ontario Power Generation, was a student recipient of the Strickert Family Bursary. She talked about how important financial support was in achieving her academic goals. President McTiernan also thanked the donors for their continued support and talked about his vision for UOIT’s very bright future.

Following the formal part of the ceremony, guests enjoyed visiting students from all faculties who were on hand to share their latest research projects. Many donors had the chance to meet the students their gifts have touched and hear first-hand how donor support can impact a student’s life.

Those interested in investing in UOIT should visit giving.uoit.ca to learn more about ways donors can make a difference to the university and its students.

Links

• Professor Daniel Hoornweg’s video presentation
• Nawal Chishty’s remarks