From green ideas to action: Laurier celebrates 10 years of the Sustainable Hawk Fund, announces 2025 recipients

July 16, 2025

2025 marks the 10th anniversary of the Sustainable Hawk Fund. Since 2015, Wilfrid Laurier University’s Sustainability Office has awarded funding to 67 projects that contribute to sustainability and equity efforts on campus and in the community.

Open to all Laurier students, staff and faculty, the student-funded $30,000 annual Sustainable Hawk Fund leverages Laurier’s entrepreneurship and community spirit to make a positive impact. Past recipients have included the My Green Labs initiative, Thrifted Threads and the Brantford Apiary.

During its 10th anniversary year, Sustainable Hawk Fund recipients will use funding to turn sustainability ideas into reality with projects including rainwater capture and enhancement, the diversion of lab-waste plastics from landfills, and the reduction of food waste through the power of artificial intelligence.

2025 Sustainable Hawk Fund recipients:

Blue Cycle (Laksh Brar)

Blue Cycle aims to enhance water management practices on Laurier’s Waterloo campus by implementing rain barrels, auditing Laurier’s existing water refill stations, and conducting a feasibility study of an enhancement to the existing greywater system in Lazaridis Hall.

Science Teaching Labs Plastics Recycling Initiative (Mickey Nielsen)

By diverting single-use plastics used in Laurier’s Chemistry and Biology teaching labs, this program can help prevent up to 67,000 gloves from ending up in the landfill through a recycling program.

Sapphire (Sohan Rasul)

Sapphire focuses on creating a work transition program for autistic post-secondary students, including peer-to-peer networking, career-readiness training and the development of neuro-inclusivity training at Laurier.

Toiletries as Necessities (Angela Demarse)

Providing free hygiene items to students in need helps ensure they can allocate resources to food and other necessities. Similar to the Distro food distribution program, this project is centred on mutual aid, anonymity, equity and autonomy, supporting student mental and physical well-being.

Risk Mitigation, Program Enhancement and Operational Excellence Via Paper Reduction (Chad Van Dyk)

This pilot project aims to reduce the use of paper in select areas within the Athletics department. It will assess the feasibility of a widespread transition to a digital platform to support administrative efficiency, waste reduction and operational risk management.

Summit for Creative Community Solutions (Christina Han)

The Summit for Creative Community Solutions is a collaborative event that brings together the Laurier community and external partners to showcase panels, performances and keynotes on a variety of subjects related to reconciliation, resilience and sustainability. The full-day event facilitates connections, inspires change through advocacy, and fosters thought-provoking discussions between students, staff, faculty and local community members.

Verdanza Tech (Urvi Budhiraja)

Verdanza Tech aims to create the SustAIn app, which will use the power of AI to reduce household food waste through behavioural change. Elements of the project will include pilot testing within the Laurier community, working with internal departments to understand current student behaviours and creating awareness events on campus.

Visit the Sustainable Hawk Fund website for more information about project criteria and application processes as well as past funding recipients.