As I approach a decade of serving in the role of president and vice-chancellor of Wilfrid Laurier University, I have been reflecting on what we have accomplished together in building a thriving, future-ready university.
This period has been defined by challenge, opportunity, and transformation. What has been steadfast is our Laurier community’s commitment to enhance knowledge, seek solutions, and create meaningful impact in the world. In moments of uncertainty, pressure, and change, Laurier faculty, contract teaching faculty, students, staff and alumni consistently demonstrate care, purpose, and excellence in their efforts.
Laurier is a university that empowers individuals to work together to build a better future through inspiring teaching, research, scholarship, and community engagement. This report showcases a glimpse of that work during the past year across our campuses and locations in Kitchener-Waterloo, Brantford, Milton, the Northwest Territories and beyond.
The progress we have made together over the past decade positions the university well for the future, with a strong foundation for continued impact. I hope this report leaves you with a sense of momentum and possibility for what lies ahead. Thank you for your ongoing commitment to Laurier and its mission. I am very much looking forward to seeing what the next decade holds for our university.
Sincerely,
Deb MacLatchy, PhD
President and Vice-Chancellor
1,772 students supported by $3.1 million from donor-funded scholarships, awards, and bursaries in 2025/26
11% increase in donations from 2024/25 to 2025/26
Top 12% of global universities and top 10 of Canadian universities in the Times Higher Education 2026 Sustainability Impact Rankings, measuring universities’ progress toward achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
211 students participated in exchange programs in 2025/26
3,750 knowledge-sharing events for faculty, staff, students and community members across the university’s campuses in 2025/26
The Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union marked its 50th anniversary with a $1.25 million gift to enhance the student experience across Laurier’s Milton, Waterloo and Brantford campuses.
Laurier Chancellor Nadir Patel (BA ‘93) brought together alumni, faculty and friends of Laurier in Ottawa to explore how research, partnerships and global engagement are shaping Canada’s role in the North.
The event featured remarks from R.J. Simpson, Premier of the Northwest Territories, and a panel moderated by Chancellor Patel. Panelists included Dr. Joe Dragon, senior policy envoy to the Government of Canada for the Government of the Northwest Territories and recipient of the Order of Wilfrid Laurier University, alongside Laurier faculty members Dr. Ann Fitz-Gerald, director of the Balsillie School of International Affairs, and Dr. Homa Kheyrollah Pour, executive director of Laurier’s Cold Regions Research Centre.
In Spring 2026, Laurier’s Lazaridis School of Business and Economics announced a new Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Sports Management delivered in partnership with the Global Institute of Sport (GIS).
Positioned at the intersection of global sport, media, technology, and live entertainment, the program reflects the rapid evolution and commercial expansion of the international sports industry. The inaugural cohort will begin in September 2026 with classes taking place at Toronto’s BMO Field, a FIFA World Cup 2026 host stadium, and Scotiabank Arena, home to several of Canada’s leading professional sports and entertainment franchises.
28% of Laurier alumni over 25 have started at least one business, employing an estimated 305,000 people across Canada.
With 85 ventures across Brantford and Waterloo engaged in 2025, Laurier’s StartUp Lab had already supported 81 ventures by Spring 2026, on track to surpass last year’s total.
565+ donors helped raise over $91,000 to benefit Laurier student-athletes from 17 different teams as part of the Golden Hawks Giving Challenge.
Laurier's vice-president: student affairs, Kate McCrae-Bristol, was named the recipient of the 2026 Ontario University Athletics Woman of Distinction Award for demonstrating outstanding leadership, exceptional service, and a commitment to advancing equity and athletic support within Ontario University sport.
Laurier alumni shone on the world stage at the Milano Cortina Olympic Games, with Sarah Wilkes (BA ‘12) earning a bronze medal in curling and Paul Webster (BA ‘98) leading Canada’s men’s curling team to gold as head coach.
In Winter 2026, the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics and Laurier Centre for Economic Policy and Research Analysis co-hosted Economic Outlook 2026: The Era of Uncertainty. The event gathered more than 300 community members to explore the latest research and insights surrounding Canada’s economic future.
More than 200 educators, students, alumni, policymakers, industry leaders, and community partners gathered for the University of the Future Symposium. Hosted by the Faculty of Arts to mark its centennial anniversary, the event featured a discussion about the future of Canadian universities, and how best to prepare humanities and social sciences students for an evolving workforce and world.
In winter 2026, Laurier opened its new multi-use Dome at University Stadium. The largest air-supported structure of its kind among Ontario University Sport institutions, the dome will support more than 1,800 hours of sport and recreation programming in Waterloo in 2026, including varsity training, intramurals, recreation programs, and community rentals.
Laurier’s Faculty of Music marked its 50th anniversary in 2025-26 with a year of celebrations showcasing musical excellence, innovation and community engagement. The anniversary year culminated in March with the Anniversary Gala Concerts, which brought together its largest student ensembles, including the Laurier Symphony Orchestra, Wind Orchestra, Jazz Orchestra, Laurier Singers and Concert Choir. The Gala Concerts, along with other performances throughout the anniversary year, also featured special contributions from alumni as performers, composers, conductors and guest artists.
Laurier researcher Dr. Connell McCluskey and McMaster University researcher Dr. David Earn have resolved a longstanding question in infectious disease modelling, demonstrating that infection levels across a wide range of epidemic models will always stabilize over time, increasing confidence in the approaches that scientists and policymakers use in controlling diseases such as influenza, measles, and COVID 19.
Four Laurier researchers: Dr. Sheri Longboat, Dr. Erin Leonard, Dr. Alex Latta and Dr. Allison McDonald, participated in a World Water Day panel advancing gender equity in water research. Hosted by the Laurier Institute for Water Science (LIWS) and the Laurier Centre for Women in Science (WinS), the panel underscored the multidisciplinary and gendered dimensions of research, teaching and policy advocacy for just and sustainable water futures in an era of climate crisis.
Laurier researchers across Health Sciences, Psychology, Kinesiology and Music are advancing understanding of the brain with direct implications for neurodegenerative disease, cancer, mental health and quality of life.
Laurier’s Bachelor of Education program in Brantford is expanding local access to teacher education, while strengthening regional school systems. For Brantford resident Victoria Campbell Windle, the program made it possible to pursue teaching while staying in her community. Campbell Windle is now teaching Grade 4/5 French immersion students at Madonna Della Libera Catholic Elementary School in Brantford.
“I am so grateful that Laurier brought the Bachelor of Education program to Brantford. I would not have been able to pursue my teaching dream otherwise.”
Victoria Campbell Windle (BEd ‘25)
All sworn police officers in Ontario are now required to complete mental health crisis training through a scenario-based curriculum developed by Dr. Jennifer Lavoie, associate professor of Criminology and Psychology and scientific director, Centre for Public Safety and Well-being, in collaboration with university, police, and community partners. The Mental Health Crisis Response Education and Applied Training Program helps police officers respond compassionately and improve de-escalation practices during mental health crises.
Dr. Erin Dej, associate professor of Criminology and Dr. Carrie Sanders, professor of Criminology and director of Laurier’s Centre for Research on Security Practices, collaborated with a team of homelessness and education researchers, and lived experts to provide teachers across Canada with lesson plans that help high school students better understand the complexities of homelessness in their communities.
At the BioAdaptive Interface Lab, assistant professor of User Experience Design Dr. John Muñoz partnered with the Adult Recreation Therapy Centre in Brantford and the Alzheimer Society (Brant, Haldimand Norfolk, Hamilton Halton) to study how people with cognitive and physical impairments can benefit from virtual reality (VR) ‘exergames.’ Participants give Muñoz feedback on the games, with the goal of making them widely available through digital stores.
Hosted by the English program in the Faculty of Liberal Arts, the Laurier Stedman Prize (supported by the Mary Stedman endowment) is a writing contest open to high school students studying within the geographic boundaries of the Grand Erie District and Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District school boards. The biennial competition awards a total of $13,000 in prizes for the best original, unpublished works of fiction. Seerat Virk from Assumption College School won the 2026 grand prize of $3,500 for her story The Same Wind.
“This community helped shape not only my career, but also my sense of self. It’s true that even a few people believing in you can change the course of your life, and that is what the Laurier community has given to me.”
Rachel Phan is the bestselling author of Restaurant Kid: A Memoir of Family and Belonging, named one of the best Canadian Non-Fiction Books of 2025 by CBC Books. Phan was awarded Laurier’s 2026 Alumna of the Year Award.
“At Laurier, I developed the leadership skills and confidence to transform lived experience into advocacy, shaping my belief that leadership is a responsibility to create lasting and inclusive change.”
Stellah Nikuze came to Laurier Brantford from the Kyaka II refugee settlement in Uganda through the World University Service of Canada Student Refugee Program. Nikuze has been accepted to the Master of Public Policy program at the University of Oxford as a Mastercard Foundation Scholar.
Building on the success of its 2024 debut, MarketFest transformed One Market’s atrium into a vibrant Indigenous marketplace featuring more than 30 vendors alongside a showcase of Indigenous music and dance enjoyed by more than 250 attendees.
The second annual Purple and Gold Party, held in partnership with the City of Brantford, welcomed community members, faculty, staff and their families to One Market for a free family-friendly celebration over Family Day weekend.
In spring 2026, the Race family was awarded the Laurier Philanthropy Award in recognition of their long-standing generosity and commitment to student success and community impact through support for accessibility awards, undergraduate research and mentorship opportunities, StartUp Lab Brantford, and the Laurier Brantford YMCA capital campaign.
Laurier officially welcomed its first cohort of Business Technology Management students to Milton in Fall 2025. The BTM program is designed to prepare students for the interconnected worlds of business and technology by bridging the gap between information technology and executive decision-making—a vital skill set in today’s digital economy.
Over summer 2025, Laurier’s Milton Academic Centre underwent a transformative renovation. The upgrades included the largest Milton campus classroom to date, a dedicated faith and spirituality space, new faculty offices, meeting rooms, and study spaces.
“The small class sizes and curated programming on Laurier’s Milton campus sets up students to build meaningful, first-name connections with both faculty and their peers.”
Trish McLaren, associate vice-president, academic
Laurier's Milton campus students in UX100: Design Thinking I: Foundations worked with the Town of Milton to address a key municipal challenge: improving how residents connect with local government. Before developing solutions, students visited Milton Town Hall to hear directly from municipal staff about the complexities of public inquiries. Following weeks of research and development, they presented a range of practical, innovative solutions.
“This whole cohort gives me hope for the future. Students bring a perspective we don’t always get to see – and a lot of what they’ve shown us today is implementable.”
Tash Harriott, director of communications and customer experience with the Town of Milton
Brian Penman (BA ’65) was awarded the Laurier Philanthropy Award in spring 2026 for his ongoing generosity and advocacy for the Milton campus. Penman’s generous entrance scholarships, valued at $5,000 per year, ensure high achieving students can access a postsecondary education locally in their community.
Under the supervision of Laurier faculty member Dr. Andrew Spring, Laurier students travel to the lakeside village of Kakisa, NWT, to live and work in partnership with the community. Together, they have developed a thriving garden space that includes two large greenhouses, supporting local food production. Spring is leading the Future Harvest Partnership with the Territorial Agrifood Association and the Government of the NWT to bring together northern farmers, Indigenous communities and researchers to generate sustainable food systems.
“The biggest thing I’ve learned is how important it is to spend time in the community building relationships so we can do the type of research that the community wants and needs.”
Calin Lazarescu, PhD student in Geography
Laurier graduate student Christine Dunbar is researching the distribution of muskox (Yutthéjëré) within Thaidene Nëné, an Indigenous Protected Area in the NWT, under the supervision of Laurier faculty member Dr. Frances Stewart and Dr. Brad Woodworth of the Government of the NWT. Dunbar’s academic journey began in the North, where growing up, she was surrounded by wildlife that inspired her interest in environmental science. Since 2024 she has been awarded the Polar Northern Resident Scholarship, Weston Family Award in Northern Research, Women in Science Hypatia award, and Cherry Award for Indigenous persons in recognition of her research.
Since 2010, more than 800 Laurier students and postdoctoral fellows have participated in NWT research.
"Laurier researchers are driven by curiosity and a commitment to making a difference. Their work expands knowledge, informs better decisions, and helps address the challenges facing our communities and our world."
Jonathan Newman, vice-president, research
Nine Laurier staff participated in the Beyond the Acknowledgement program, developed in partnership by Dr. Heidi Swanson, associate professor of Biology and Jarislowsky Chair in Sustainable Water Futures, Dr. Charity Parr-Vasquez of Laurier’s Office of Research Services and Emily Daniel of the Office of Indigenous Initiatives. The initiative was made possible through funding from Braiding Knowledges Canada, a non-profit dedicated to reconciliation through research and the Office of Research Services. Created in recognition that the institution can do more to advance the Indigenization, reconciliation and decolonization goals of Laurier’s Indigenous Strategic Plan, the program introduces participants to historical and contemporary Indigenous contexts and asks them to reflect on meaningful institutional actions toward these goals.
A transformative component of the program took place in June 2026, when participants travelled to the Yellowknife region for an immersive, on-the-land learning experience led by Carl Jr. Kodakin-Yakeleya of Evergood Medicine. Guided by the knowledge, teachings, and generosity of Carl Jr., Elder Be'sha Blondin and Bobby Drygeese of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, participants engaged in conversations and experiences that fostered a deeper understanding of Indigenous histories, ways of knowing, and relationships to land. The experience challenged participants to listen, reflect, and consider how reconciliation can be meaningfully embodied in their everyday work and decision-making.
“With a focus on truth first, I now have more knowledge, experiences, and confidence to support further reconciliatory actions within my role.”
Braeden Etienne, research communications and event specialist, Lazaridis School of Business and Economics
Laurier was a Global Finalist for the 2025 International Green Gown Award in the Benefitting Society category. The award recognizes Laurier’s longstanding and collaborative northern research partnerships with the Government of the Northwest Territories and local communities.
