I am pleased to share with you the 2024–25 President’s Report, which highlights just some of the exceptional work and achievements at Laurier in the last year.
Together, we marked major milestones and achievements. We celebrated 25 years of impact at our Brantford campus, and at the same time, welcomed the inaugural class to our expanding campus in Milton. Our Faculty of Arts celebrated 100 years of academic and scholarly excellence. In athletics, the Golden Hawks football team soared, capturing the 2025 Yates Cup as provincial champions, and winning the Uteck Bowl to earn a berth at the Vanier Cup national championships. In October, we installed Nadir Patel, a proud alumnus, as chancellor – he has already congratulated more than 5,000 graduates as they crossed the stage during their convocation ceremonies.
These outstanding moments unfolded against a backdrop of global change and uncertainty. Rapid advances in technology, shifting geopolitical landscapes, and climate change are redefining the contexts in which we operate. As an anchor institution in southwestern Ontario, and a centre of research excellence in the Northwest Territories, our goal is to build thriving communities that prepare people for the future. This work has never been more relevant.
I am deeply grateful to everyone connected to our Laurier community who advances and champions this mission. Through academics, research, and community engagement, we are ensuring a bright future for all.
I look forward to what we will continue to achieve together.
Sincerely,
Deb MacLatchy, PhD
President and Vice-Chancellor
$3.8 billion Laurier’s combined direct and indirect annual economic impact in Ontario
Top 13% of global universities in the Times Higher Education 2025 University Impact Rankings, measuring universities’ progress toward achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
74% increase in donations from 2023/24 to 2024/25
23% year-over-year increase in external research funding
90% of alumni live in Ontario
1,362 students received $3.1 million in support from donor-funded scholarships, awards, and bursaries
3,300 knowledge-sharing events for faculty, staff, students and community members across the university’s campuses in 2024/25
In 2024, Laurier, Conestoga College, the University of Guelph and University of Waterloo celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Partnerships for Employment Job Fair. Since 1994, the event has connected 170,000 students and alumni with more than 10,600 employers.
Laurier’s Faculty of Arts celebrated its centenary with alumni events and expert panel discussions, including many focused on Canada’s place in a shifting international landscape. The faculty offers over 20 undergraduate and nine graduate programs, with an average enrolment of nearly 5,000 students per year and close to 50,000 alumni.
Accomplished former diplomat, corporate director, and Laurier alumnus, Nadir Patel (BA ’93), began his term as Laurier’s Chancellor in fall 2024.
As part of an alumni engagement series, Chancellor Patel joined journalist Melanie Ng (BA ’05) in Toronto and SportChek President Scott Dowding (BBA ’99) in Calgary for conversations about Canada’s evolving role on the global stage.
“As an alumnus there is no better way to give back to an institution that has given me so much.”
Nadir Patel, chancellor of Wilfrid Laurier University
The Faculty of Arts marked its centennial by giving back to the community it has called home for 100 years. In February, the Faculty of Arts co-sponsored and walked in the 2025 Waterloo Coldest Night of the Year, raising over $3,000 for Supportive Housing Waterloo. In March, a Faculty of Arts team volunteered at Waterloo Region Food Bank, sorting 2,693 lbs of food for – the equivalent of 2,244 meals for those in need. In April, students, faculty and staff celebrated Earth Week by donating fruit trees to Laurier’s Northdale Garden.
More than 200 students from 45 elementary schools in the Waterloo Region District School Board spent a day at Laurier exploring student life, campus community, academics and career pathways.
Master of Social Work (MSW) field education team supported 355 new placements in 2024-25, with MSW students completing over 171,000 placement hours.
Fourth-year computer science and business student Jacob Reil helped launch a cloud-based dashboard during his co-op term at Sun Life. Used by over 5,000 employees, the tool personalized data for teams across the organization.
Tamar Barth, a fourth-year Health Sciences student, is supporting research at Laurier investigating how to combat the spread of human coronavirus in lung cells using the body's immune system. Her supervisor, Dr. Stephanie DeWitte-Orr, is supporting her undergraduate thesis work.
PhD student Kyra Simons was awarded a prestigious Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship of $150,000 over three years to continue her research on improving the well-being of older adults from historically underserved communities. Her supervisors are assistant professor Meaghan Barlow and assistant professor Frank Kachanoff.
Laurier won the 2025 TD Entrepreneurship Challenge at Enactus Canada’s National Exposition for Kuponya Innovations. The startup, founded by Laurier arts student Jordan Prentice, developed a ‘house in a box’ kit to support residents in Northern communities assemble and maintain climate resilient homes. Over the next three years, Kuponya aims to provide green construction training to over 300 people, and build 49 homes, generating $6.7 million in revenue.
“Laurier has a fantastic reputation and its students are prepared, hard-working and highly collaborative.”
Jeff Ollinger, director of talent acquisition at Sun Life
The Digital Governance Initiative will position Canada as a global leader in digital governance, with Ontario at the forefront of producing talent for a transforming global economy through the development of professional programs, a legal advisory centre, and a proposed new graduate degree.
The Lazaridis School of Business and Economics hosted a week-long MedTech leadership program offering practical guidance for med-tech CEOs and C-suite leaders to grow their tech companies. Sessions were hosted by both Lazaridis faculty and legal and industry experts, covering intellectual property strategy, sales and marketing, operation scaling and investor relations.
Dr. Nirosha Murugan and Dr. Nicolas Rouleau co-published a paper in iScience demonstrating the human brain produces natural light emissions and that the intensity of them correlates with different cognitive states. This discovery has implications for developing methods to noninvasively measure brain states. Their work was featured in Scientific American.
Renowned hip hop artist, Juno award winner, and Laurier alum Shad (Shadrach) Kabango (BBA '05) returned to Laurier in fall 2024 to teach a special course titled ‘Hip-Hop to the World’ open to both music and non-music students.
Peter Ansley (BA '66) donated $1M to name Alumni Field, ensuring the Waterloo campus has a central hub for recreation and community connection for generations to come.
500+ community members, including faculty, staff, alumni and students celebrated 25 years of Laurier Brantford in March, at a family-friendly Purple and Gold Party in One Market.
186 volunteers from the campus and community came together to paint a special commemorative mural designed by artist Stephanie Scott.
200+ campus and community members attended MarketFest in September 2024, a celebration of Indigenous art, history and culture in One Market.
"Laurier gave me a strong foundation for the kind of work I do today — work that blends research, strategy and innovation."
Wiktor Kulinski (BA '08), founder of Grand Culture, Brantford-Brant’s new arts, culture and heritage council
"Given the smaller class sizes, I had the great benefit of working closely with professors on the development of writing and research skills that carried me through law school and into my career.”
Rachel Runge (BA '09), lead legal counsel, corporate legal and compliance, Intact Financial Corporation
"I consider myself incredibly lucky, and it's thanks to individuals who saw potential in me, and offered opportunities that allowed me to figure out my path."
Jade Psutka (BA '12), senior manager, Indigenous Enablement and Recruitment, KPMG
Under the direction of Dr. Danielle Law and through the work of 25 student research assistants, the Child and Adolescent Research and Education (CARE) lab finalized a two-year study, helping the YMCA of Hamilton – Burlington – Brantford evaluate the effectiveness of its youth programs.
Dr. James Popham led a team of researchers to collect data for the 2024 Brant Vital Signs report. The report tracks data on social indicators such as childhood poverty, educational attainment, the economy and the environment, serving as a resource for community leaders to mobilize community action.
"The Grand Erie District School Board has seen the positive contributions that Laurier’s Bachelor of Education students and graduates make to school communities."
JoAnna Roberto, director of education at Grand Erie District School Board
In winter 2025, Laurier Game Design students hosted sold-out workshops teaching families the fundamentals of game design at the Brantford Public Library.
Recent Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) graduate Shy Traverse completed her fourth-year placement at Brantford General Hospital, where she was recognized with a Student Placement Project Award for her contributions to an outpatient mental health program.
Labelle is entering the practical nursing program at Anishinabek Educational Institute in fall 2025. Held on the Munsee-Delaware Nation near London, the program is rooted in First Nations values, including traditional medicine teachings and healing practices.
"There’s such a wealth of talent at Laurier and it just seems like a natural fit for us to have students come in and run programs based on their areas of expertise."
Emma Flintoft, Brantford Public Library coordinator of children and youth programs
Laurier officially welcomed its first undergraduate students to Milton during Laurier Orientation in Fall 2024, offering Computer Science and Psychology, with elective courses in User Experience Design, Leadership, Criminology and Sociology.
Laurier’s Milton campus programming is tailored to local and commuter students to meet the needs of students in Halton Region and the Greater Toronto Area seeking to attend university close to home.
“Our first students are benefiting from small class sizes and the availability of professors when needed. The Laurier Milton academic experience offers a unique opportunity that stands apart from anywhere else in Canada. It’s a place where students establish strong connections early in their education and build close relationships.”
Assistant Professor Saiqa Aleem, Department of Computer Science and Physics
Seventy-five students enrolled in the inaugural class of the new Milton campus each received $5,000 through the donor-funded Milton Founder’s Scholarships. In November, the Joyce Family Foundation announced a $2-million endowment, providing up to 12 undergraduate students facing financial barriers with a $5,000 annual bursary, renewable throughout each year of their program on the Milton campus.
“Being a student at Laurier Milton has been an incredible experience. With great resources for academics, wellness and more, it’s easy to get the support you need to thrive.”
Anousha Waqar, a first-year Computer Science student
Just four months into the academic year, students at Laurier’s Milton campus formed a Student Leadership Council to run student-focused events. Students established a Computer Science Club, organized games nights, and even attended a Blue Jays game. Students from the Milton campus also attended a Milton Town Council meeting with members of Laurier’s Executive Leadership Team.
“There are folks here to help guide students, to help support, as well as celebrate the wins and be there during any lows. We care about the students who are here and are working to build relationships and a sense of belonging.”
Alicia Clarke, student affairs coordinator at Laurier Milton
The Future Harvest Partnership (FHP) is a multi-year collaboration between Wilfrid Laurier University, the Territorial Agrifood Association and the Government of the Northwest Territories Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment. Supported by an interdisciplinary team of leading academics from across North America, and informed by Indigenous Governments and traditional knowledge, the Partnership engages with food producers and local communities of the Northwest Territories to co-create research and generate useful insights for innovation and policy that can inform the development of a climate-resilient local food system.
Led by principal investigator Dr. Andrew Spring, the partnership secured $7.8 million in funding in 2024, through the federal government’s Sustainable Agriculture Research Initiative. Laurier researchers Dr. Jennifer Baltzer, Dr. Alison Blay-Palmer, Dr. Debora VanNijnatten and Dr. David Wheatley, will collaborate with researchers from McGill, the University of Guelph, the University of Waterloo, and Aurora College on the project.
Eight graduate and postdoctoral researchers won prestigious Weston Family Awards in Northern Research in 2024. The funds will support co-designed research with northern communities, with the goal of protecting and restoring biodiversity in Canada.
“The Weston Family Awards are among Canada’s most prestigious student prizes in the natural sciences. Seeing eight Laurier winners, including six master’s students in a category of just 15 total awards, is an outstanding feat. This is a credit to Laurier’s strong northern research and our faculty supervisors who create exceptional training opportunities in the North.”
Jonathan Newman, vice-president: research
