Laurier alum Stephen Dent (BBA ’84) establishes Birch Hill Student Experience Fund at the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics

May 20, 2026
For Immediate Release

WATERLOO — A transformational gift of $1 million from Wilfrid Laurier University alum Stephen Dent (BBA ’84) will establish the Birch Hill Student Experience Fund to support and enhance experiential learning opportunities for students at the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics.

“Experiential education is core to the Lazaridis School curriculum,” said Kyle Murray, dean of the Lazaridis School. “With this visionary gift, Stephen is giving generations of Lazaridis School students the opportunity to test drive their classroom learning and graduate with the in-demand skills of their chosen field. This kind of education can only happen through generous donors like Stephen.”

Dent named the fund in recognition of Birch Hill, the Canadian mid-market private equity firm he founded in 2005. Birch Hill’s 14 partner companies collectively represent one of Canada’s largest corporate entities with more than $9 billion in total revenue and more than 40,000 employees.

“Laurier’s business program helped set me on the path to a successful career in the finance industry,” said Dent. “I want to ensure the next generation of talent has the resources and opportunities to build their careers. More than ever in today’s landscape, experiential education makes all the difference.”

The Birch Hill Student Experience Fund will provide support for a variety of initiatives, including case competitions in which students collaborate with their peers and tackle real-world business challenges at the national and international levels. This hands-on approach enables students to apply theoretical knowledge across all functional areas of business, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving abilities as they develop, refine and present innovative solutions. The fund will also support opportunities for students to engage with successful alumni and influential business leaders.

“We have exceptionally talented students and we strive to ensure they have access to the most cutting-edge and high-quality opportunities to show us and the broader community what they are capable of,” said Laurier President and Vice-Chancellor Deborah MacLatchy. “We’re grateful to Stephen for giving Laurier students these opportunities through the Birch Hill Student Experience Fund.”