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Lynd Forguson honoured with first Boundless Promise Scholarship

sgupta — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 15:42:57 +0000

Lynd Forguson honoured with first Boundless Promise Scholarship sgupta Mon, 08/13/2012 - 11:42

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Professor Lynd Forguson's family honours his memory with a Boundless Promise scholarship. (Portrait of Lynd Forguson by Phil Richards. Gift of the artist to UTAC, 2002)

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Lynd Forguson loved University College, its intimacy, its diversity, its wonderful way of helping young people.

Forguson served as Registrar, Vice-Principal and then Principal of UC from 1989 until 1997. He retired in 2003 and passed away at his home in Vancouver in 2005.

Now his family is honouring his memory by creating a scholarship in his name for students of University College. It will be directed toward students pursuing the discipline that meant so much to him, philosophy.

“This is not only to celebrate my husband’s life of intellectual exploration, but to promote student interest in critical thinking,” says Georgiana Forguson. “At a time when much of the undergraduate experience is focused on preparation for the economic marketplace, I think it is vital to acknowledge the need for a strong liberal arts foundation that will enable graduates to make decisions based on reasoned analysis of the issues, and not on ideological grounds.”

The gift was the first to be made under the University of Toronto’s new Boundless Promise program, which matches donations of $25,000 or more made to needs-based scholarships, between now and December 2015.

When a donor makes such a gift, the benefaction is invested in the U of T’s endowment, which in turn generates a permanent annual payout for the student award. The University matches the payout 1:1, thus doubling the impact of the donation. These matching funds go above and beyond what the university already commits to student financial aid annually.

Making the first gift to the new Boundless Promise program “is a real honour,” says Geoff Forguson, Lynd’s son. “My dad would have been proud to know that.”

Donald Ainslie, Principal of University College, wrote to Georgiana Forguson thanking her for establishing the award in honour of her husband. “I see his portrait every day when I leave my office, and it serves as a reminder of the ideals I am trying to pursue during my time as principal.

“With UC as the founding college of the University, it seems particularly appropriate that the first award to take advantage of the recently launched Boundless Promise matching opportunity honours one of the College’s best principals,” Ainslie said. “The program’s name, moreover, truly captures Lynd’s optimism in investing so much of his time and energy in supporting students.”

Georgiana Forguson says all of her husband’s undergraduate and graduate education “was generously supported by various scholarships.” Lynd and Georgiana met at school in Ohio. He became a Fulbright Scholar at Oxford and she received her teaching degree at the University of Toronto’s faculty of education in 1975.

“Because he loved the career that these various funding groups enabled him to follow, it is appropriate that we return a small part of this generosity by establishing a scholarship in his name,” Georgiana says.

Since Georgiana made the gift, a number of other donors have established scholarships under the Boundless Promise program—each for their own reasons. For Georgiana, the rationale for her gift was simple: “The scholarship will honour my husband’s love of University College and the University of Toronto. It was the centre of his intellectual and collegial universe for 35 years.”

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U of T Mississauga unveils $60 million Boundless campaign

sgupta — Mon, 28 May 2012 12:03:16 +0000

U of T Mississauga unveils $60 million Boundless campaign sgupta Mon, 05/28/2012 - 08:03

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Students were front and centre as more than 325 members of the U of T Mississauga community gathered on May 23, 2012 in the Instructional Centre to celebrate the public launch of the campus’ $60-million fundraising campaign.

On stage, chalkboards were covered in original artwork—illustrating the theme of “boundless”—created by Laura Biggs and Daniel Deus, two award-winning U of T Mississauga art and art history students. All music for the program was performed by students from U of T’s Faculty of Music, and among the opening speakers were two U of T Mississauga student leaders: undergraduate Marijana Josifovska, the founder of Investors Beyond Borders, and PhD student and youth advocate, Eugenia Duodu.

“I am one person, but my impact can be global,” said Duodu, echoing the theme of the evening’s celebration.

Community leaders, campaign volunteers, donors, students, faculty, staff and alumni attended the ceremony, which paid tribute to U of T Mississauga’s remarkable 45-year history, its deep roots within the community and its bold plan to take the next leap forward as a global innovation leader.

Hazel McCallion, Mayor of Mississauga, kicked off the program, remarking that she has worked with every U of T Mississauga principal since the campus’ founding.

“We are very fortunate to have such a community-focused, innovative university in our midst, helping to power our economic engine and educate our young people,” Mayor McCallion said.

Deep Saini, U of T Vice-President and Principal of U of T Mississauga, took the podium to highlight the campaign’s priorities: to seek visionary private-sector funding to increase scholarships, student mentoring programs, unique learning environments, faculty chairs and professorships—and to launch two bold initiatives, the Centre for South Asian Engagement , which will broaden the study of traditional subjects by engaging the community’s South Asian diaspora, and the Institute for Management and Innovation , the cornerstone of the campaign, which will provide the leadership needed “to foster the intellectual strength to create an innovation culture for our nation.”

“U of T Mississauga is at a turning point in its evolution,” Professor Saini continued. “We are entering an era defined by transformative growth, social impact, community engagement and boundless potential.” He was quick to point out, though, that U of T Mississauga would retain its special “people vibe,” fostered by a collegial, close-knit environment in which “students can grow, flourish and spread their wings.”

U of T’s Vice-President of Advancement, David Palmer, announced that U of T Mississauga has already raised more than half its $60-million goal. He applauded honorary campaign co-chairs William G. Davis and Ignat Kaneff for their extraordinary leadership, and he recognized philanthropists Terrence Donnelly and Carlo Fidani for their visionary generosity, which has fueled the Mississauga Academy of Medicine and the Terrence Donnelly Health Sciences Complex. Palmer noted that the Donnelly Complex has just been honoured with a 2012 Governor General’s Gold Medal for Architecture.

Palmer also recognized entrepreneur Vasu Chanchlani for his catalytic gift of $2 million to the new Centre for South Asian Engagement , as well as Amgen Canada for their generous $425,000 donation to create a fellowship in biotechnology and a professorship in health system strategy.

U of T Chancellor David Peterson concluded the program, remarking that U of T Mississauga’s phenomenal growth has been “a joy to behold.”

The campaign for U of T Mississauga is an integral part of U of T’s $2-billion Boundless campaign, which was publicly launched in November 2011 and which surpassed the $1-billion mark in January 2012. Through the Boundless campaign, U of T seeks to address the pressing global challenges that affect us all, by preparing global leaders who have the skills to work across borders, boundaries and disciplines.

Student leader Josifovska exemplified this boundless aspiration in her opening remarks at the May 23 event: “At U of T Mississauga, I’ve learned there is no dream too big and no vision that’s unreachable.”

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Culture, Creativity and Cities

sgupta — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 14:16:32 +0000

Culture, Creativity and Cities sgupta Fri, 03/30/2012 - 10:16

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Faculty of Arts and Science campaign launch (Photo by Donna Santos)

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Philanthropists help students pursue academic dreams

More than 500 students, benefactors, volunteers, faculty and staff gathered to celebrate the launch of the $250-million campaign for U of T’s Faculty of Arts and Science.

The campaign, unprecedented for a faculty of arts and science in Canada, will strengthen the University’s capacity to prepare global citizens and to meet the most pressing global challenges of the 21st century. It is a major component of Boundless: the Campaign for the University of Toronto – the largest fundraising initiative ever by a Canadian university.

Boundless, launched in November 2011, has already raised more than $1-billion towards its $2-billion goal. In a packed Great Hall at Hart House, which serves as a hub for arts and culture at U of T’s downtown campus, guests were excited to hear of the campaign’s success thus far: to date, donors have contributed $142-million, which is 57% of the Faculty's $250-million goal.

The campaign launch coincided with the annual Arts & Science scholarship reception – a celebration of students’ academic excellence.

Professor Meric Gertler, dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science, outlined some of the impacts that the campaign would have on current and future students: “We will seek philanthropic support to expand our innovative undergraduate programs that promote interdisciplinary thinking, first-year learning communities, international learning experiences and research opportunities. We will also seek to bolster our scholarship endowment to ensure access and opportunity to our undergraduates, and attract the best domestic and international graduate students. Combined with the past generosity of visionary donors, this new support will strengthen our efforts to ensure that all qualified candidates, regardless of their financial means, can pursue their academic dreams here.”

Chancellor David Peterson spoke about the vital role that the Faculty plays on the world stage. In a recent survey by the Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings, U of T was ranked 10th in the world for Arts and Humanities and 18th for physical sciences and social sciences.

“This campaign is our chance to strengthen this capacity—to realize a vision of leadership in Canada and the world, and to give future generations the gift that this great, good place has given so many of us,” said Peterson.

The Faculty of Arts and Science is today home to the largest concentration of graduate students and almost 75% of undergraduate students on the St. George campus.

“The accomplishments of our Arts and Science alumni are due in part to the training and perspective they gain from this faculty – with its brilliant teachers and outstanding resources – but also from the benefit of being a part of the wider University of Toronto community, with its own broad strengths across a remarkable range of disciplines,” said David Palmer, vice-president of advancement.

For more information visit: http://www.boundless.utoronto.ca/artsci

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Mats Sundin establishes medical fellowships at U of T, Karolinska Institutet

sgupta — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:30:42 +0000

Mats Sundin establishes medical fellowships at U of T, Karolinska Institutet sgupta Fri, 02/10/2012 - 04:30

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Former Toronto Maple Leafs captain Mats Sundin beams as he and Dean Cathy Whiteside display the U of T Faculty of Medicine's gift of medical scrubs bearing his iconic No. 13. (Photo by Dave Chan)

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Former Maple Leafs captain supports developmental health research

Former Toronto Maple Leafs captain Mats Sundin announced today he will establish an elite scientific exchange program in the field of developmental health between the University of Toronto and Karolinska Insitutet in Stockholm, Sweden.

Sundin’s gift – one-third of $1 million dollars – was announced today at a press conference at U of T. The gift will support two fellowships at world-renowned labs in Toronto and Stockholm where scientists are probing how maternal health and our earliest life experiences can determine sickness, health, learning ability and overall well-being down the road.

“We all want our children to grow up healthy, with the best opportunities to learn and live free of disease, but how do we make that possible? What can we do to give our kids the best shot at reaching their full potential?” said Sundin. “By establishing this program at U of T and KI, we’re creating an Olympic training camp for our brightest young minds to work with global leaders and answer these challenging questions.”

“Every player knows we have a responsibility to pass on our skills and knowledge to the next generation – that’s how the sport moves forward, and science as well,” Sundin added. “It means so much to me to be able to support these two great universities and their incredible drive to find the breakthroughs that can change our lives.”

Historically, genetics were thought to be the sole factor in determining whether a child would grow up to be a healthy, well-functioning adult. Now, scientists are realizing that the interaction between genes and the environment is critical. Teams at U of T and KI are leading the global charge to figure out what environmental factors – from breast-feeding to stress to nutrition – might impact the way a person’s genes are expressed, effectively determining their well-being from the early years to later on in life.

"It is becoming increasingly clear that the early environment of the fetus and infant can have major influences on susceptibility to developing cardiovascular, metabolic and mental health disorders in later life, not to mention on learning and social functioning,” said Dr. Stephen Matthews, professor of physiology, obstetrics and gynecology and medicine at U of T. “These elite research fellows will help us advance our understanding of this complex relationship and assist in our efforts to build trajectories towards health and away from disease.”

The Mats Sundin Award in Medicine will establish two post-doctoral fellowships in developmental biology – one at U of T and one at KI. The fellows will be chosen from a highly-competitive pool of researchers at each institution, and starting in September 2012, they will travel to their partner institution for a year of research under the direction of world-leading scientists in the field. At U of T, Matthews and Dr. Stephen Lye, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology and physiology, will lead the program. Dr. Ola Hermanson, associate professor in molecular neurodevelopment, will lead the program at KI.

“Research that is happening right now at U of T and Karolinska Institutet is resulting in unprecedented opportunities to pre-empt, regulate and even eradicate some of the world’s most common illnesses,” said U of T president David Naylor. “By establishing these fellowships, Mats Sundin is helping us mobilize the power of our respective research towards areas that intrinsically shape the human condition.”

“Karolinska Institutet is very proud to receive this gift. It is our clear goal to promote interactions like this and make the future even brighter for true young ambitious talents in science,” said KI President Harriet Wallberg-Henriksson. “The support from Mats Sundin is a great step to improve the already fruitful collaboration between KI and U of T.”

The fellowships build on a long and successful exchange program between U of T and Karolinska Institutet dating back to 1996. The exchange program leverages the very best research themes from both institutions to train and develop students into future scientific and medical leaders, with a particular focus on maternal-infant health, neurodevelopment and regenerative medicine.

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Vice-president honoured for leadership in philanthropy

sgupta — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:41:07 +0000

Vice-president honoured for leadership in philanthropy sgupta Mon, 12/05/2011 - 10:41

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David Palmer, U of T's vice-president (advancement) speaks during the launch of U of T's historic $2-billion fundraising campaign. (Photo by Rick Chard)

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Palmer named year’s outstanding fundraising professional

David Palmer, the University of Toronto’s vice-president (advancement), has always had big ideas about the role U of T has to play in advancing Canada’s economic and social agenda. Recently, those big ideas landed him a very big honour.

Palmer’s leadership in philanthropy has been recognized by the Greater Toronto Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), an international organization, with its Outstanding Fundraising Professional for 2011 award.

The AFP has honoured leadership in philanthropy through its annual awards program since 1995 and Palmer joins a long list of generous Canadians so honoured. The award celebrates the outstanding contribution of time, leadership and financial support of a special group of Canadians who set new benchmarks of excellence in the acts of giving and volunteering. At the recent awards ceremony, Palmer attributed his success at U of T to teamwork.

“The success we’ve had here is really the product of so many wonderful and talented people,” said Palmer. “Visionary institutional leaders, alumni and volunteers across the world, and above all, our generous benefactors whose selfless dedication and generosity has transformed this wonderful institution.”

Known for his strategic, principled, and inclusive approach, Palmer has served with highly effective and talented advancement teams that have helped redefine the fundraising potential for several charitable sectors, including cultural institutions, and university-wide campaigns. Since September 2007, he has served as vice-president (advancement) for U of T, with a mandate to build institutional capacity and engage the university’s 500,000 graduates in 174 countries.

“The universities are complicated places and big universities like the University of Toronto are really complicated: three campuses, lots of divisions,” said President David Naylor. “David Palmer has done a brilliant job in bringing out the best in everybody: connecting to all the divisions, bringing everybody together, making sure academic priorities are front and centre. He’s a principled, inclusive guy and a very deserving recipient.”

From 1999 to 2007, Palmer was president and executive director of the ROM Foundation (now known as the Royal Ontario Museum Board of Governors) where he spearheaded the Renaissance ROM campaign, a transformational campaign that re-defined the museum’s financial resource base, its public brand, and its position as a major international cultural destination. Prior to his work at the ROM, David led a ground-breaking campaign for the University of Western Ontario’s School of Business Administration that resulted in the school being renamed the Richard Ivey School of Business, ushering in a new era in fundraising at professional faculties in Canadian universities.

Palmer was nominated for this award by a committee of his peers and accepted it on behalf of the teams with whom he has served.

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Graduate student, alumnus give voice to U of T campaign

sgupta — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:02:39 +0000

Graduate student, alumnus give voice to U of T campaign sgupta Mon, 12/05/2011 - 09:02

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Professor Gillian MacKay conducts the fanfare composed by alumnus Aaron Tsang. (Photo by Caz Zyvatkauskas)

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Original compositions sparkle

Your university calls and wants you to compose a musical score for its fundraising campaign launch. No pressure.

Well, at least not for Aaron Tsang and Kevin Lau.

Tsang, an alumnus of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Music, and Lau, who recently defended his musical arts doctorate, were asked to compose music for the launch of U of T’s historic $2-billion fundraising campaign. Both musicians, good friends, said that from start to finish their projects came together quickly.

Although Tsang and Lau had a few weeks to prepare, they said even shorter deadlines are common for these types of commissions.

“It’s not unreasonable in the commercial world,” said Tsang. “They will tell you at 9 a.m. in the morning they need this at 9 a.m. the next morning.”

Tsang, who knew at the age of 15 he wanted to be a Hollywood film score composer, wrote the opening and closing fanfare for the ceremony. Lau, currently the composer-in-residence for the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra, scored the music for the campaign video presentation, a funny twist in itself. Tsang usually scores music for visual media and Lau typically composes for orchestras. “We were a little bit outside our usual environments,” added Lau.

When asked what inspired their compositions the pair said it was a combination of the client’s ideas for the campaign and their own sensibilities. For both Tsang and Lau, the music had to celebrate a storied past while looking towards a future filled with promise.

View Tsang's musical composition below.

Tsang said he turned to the Olympics for inspiration.

“I felt that a good starting point was looking at Olympic fanfares,” said Tsang. “They’re celebratory in nature, there’s a lot of bright energy, optimism and lots of pride in the sound.” He also noted that his fanfare needed to be something that made people stand, be solemn and be proud.

“I didn’t just want to play a big blasting fanfare; I wanted to infuse retrospection and nostalgia,” Tsang noted.
Tsang credits the conductor, Professor Gillian MacKay of the Faculty of Music, for her work organizing the musicians and bringing his music to life.

“She was amazing; none of this would have happened without her,” he said.

Lau said after his initial discussion with the campaign organizers, he prepared a 30-second sample based on his reaction to their ideas to make sure he was on the same page as the client.

After presenting his sample, Lau incorporated client feedback and began working on the score. Lau said watching the alumni interviews in the video provided further inspiration for this work and that in a way, his score paid tribute to what he’d learned at U of T.

“The style of writing I developed here was given back in spades in this piece,” said Lau.

He also said he discovered a kinship with alumni that he didn’t know he felt.

“As a composer you spend a lot of time by yourself; your creativity is fairly solitary,” said Lau. “I think I didn’t really feel a tactile connection to U of T that I thought much about until working on this video.”

Both Lau and Tsang said they were flattered and gratified by the experience.

“To be chosen for this occasion and being trusted with this opportunity is really a great honour. It’s an experience I don’t think you can even look for,” said Tsang.

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Faculty of Law formally launches building campaign

sgupta — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:26:52 +0000

Faculty of Law formally launches building campaign sgupta Wed, 11/30/2011 - 09:26

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The planned Faculty of Law expansion will overlook Philosopher's Walk. (Drawing by Hariri-Pontarini Architects)

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New benchmarks set as law firms Osler and Torys each give unprecedented gifts of more than $2 million

More than 200 alumni and friends of the University of Toronto's Faculty of Law gathered Nov. 29 to celebrate the launch of a $35-million campaign for the faculty’s $53-million building that will help to position Canada’s number one law school for a future of boundless leadership, potential and vision.

In a packed and energized Flavelle House, the iconic heritage building at the Faculty of Law that will be the anchor to the faculty’s new building, guests heard the exciting news of the campaign’s success to date: More than $19.4 million in private donations has been raised. The private funds, combined with $18 million in support from the University of Toronto, have resulted in 70 per cent of the funds required to make the new building a reality.

In particular, the law firm community has provided unprecedented support for the Faculty of Law building campaign. Osler, Hoskin and Harcourt LLP and Torys LLP, with gifts of more than $2 million each, have set new benchmarks for law-firm giving in Canada. The campaign has also received several individual alumni gifts of $1 million or more, including from former U of T Chancellor Hal Jackman, John Schumacher and David Asper.

“Nothing is as important to the future of this incredible institution as physical renewal,” said Professor Mayo Moran, dean of the Faculty of Law. “We are so grateful for the extraordinary generosity of the law firms and individuals who have come forward so early in the campaign to support our aspirations.”

The constrained physical facilities have been limiting the Faculty of Law’s potential as a research and leadership centre locally, nationally and internationally. Three external reviews — and critical student feedback — have identified the limitations as a serious issue.

The new building will increase space by 50 per cent, to 66,000 square feet, and will have three distinct elements: a multi-storey wing on Queen’s Park Crescent; an extensive interior renovation to the Bora Laskin Law Library; and a light renovation to Flavelle House.This state-of-the-art building will enable the law school to continue to compete for top law students and world-renowned faculty. The expanded facilities add much-needed contemporary teaching, learning, research and collaborative space not only for JD and graduate programs, but also for professional and continuing education courses, and ground-breaking new initiatives such as the global professional LLM, and internationally trained lawyers program.

Designed by Toronto firm Hariri Pontarini, the new structure completes a cultural and architectural renaissance along Philosopher’s Walk and in the Avenue Road and Bloor Street quadrant, which includes the Royal Ontario Museum’s Michael Lee-Chin Crystal and the Royal Conservatory’s Telus Centre for Performance and Learning.
The Faculty of Law is set to build on its tradition of educating leaders and global citizens in a truly world-class environment.

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Transformed Lassonde Mining Building Celebrated

sgupta — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 13:28:09 +0000

Transformed Lassonde Mining Building Celebrated sgupta Wed, 11/30/2011 - 08:28

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Renovations to the Lassonde Mining Building include creation of the Goldcorp Mining Innovation Suite. (Engineering photo)

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New space supports student learning and adds sustainable features to heritage building

The University of Toronto celebrated the opening of the renovated Lassonde Mining Building on Nov. 28. The transformation of the building, which first opened in 1904, converted the previously unused attic into new collaborative student design studios and teaching spaces and added a rooftop meeting room.

“We are celebrating a new chapter of mining innovation at the University of Toronto with the opening of this building,” said David Naylor, president of the university.

The new 4th and 5th floor space, known as the Goldcorp Mining Innovation Suite, provides 100 workstations for students studying mineral and civil engineering to complete engineering design projects. It will also be home to the Lassonde Institute of Mining, an interdisciplinary research institute focused on a whole spectrum of mining activities, including mineral resource identification, mine planning and excavation, as well as extraction and processing. In addition to classes, the suite will host public events ranging from small meetings to seminars and lectures. (Enjoy a video highlighting features of the new suite.)

The project was made possible by generous financial support from Dr. Pierre Lassonde, the chair of mining giant Franco-Nevada, Goldcorp Incorporated, as well as Knowledge and Infrastructure Project (KIP) funding from the federal government matched by provincial funds.

“What we do is always for the students,” said Lassonde. Referring to the new collaborative space, he remarked, “… there is no doubt that the student experience here will be absolutely incredible.”

Wladyslaw Lizon, Member of Parliament for Mississauga-East-Cooksville, was on hand at the opening to extend the federal government’s best wishes. (View photos from the opening, as well as a video.)

“Modernizing and improving research and training facilities at Canada’s university and college campuses will help us build the foundation for future growth. It will help us protect and create more jobs for Canadians and ensure we are well-positioned for future prosperity,” said Lizon.

In addition to new space, the project allowed a number of sustainable features to be added to the building. This includes photovoltaic panels that power the new suite’s lighting and computer needs. It also includes improved insulation, the addition of skylights and rain harvesting to water the surrounding grounds. An elevator was also added, making the building more physically accessible.

“The Lassonde Mining Building is an excellent example of what can be accomplished through a combination of private philanthropy, industry investment and government support,” said Professor Cristina Amon, dean of the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering.

As a major research university located in Toronto, U of T is well situated to support Canada’s mining industry, Lassonde remarked.

“We have the pulls of the industry here (in Toronto). We have the services, we have the legal firms, the equity firms, the investment bankers and we have the University that does an incredible amount of research,” stated Lassonde.

“I am confident that the University of Toronto, through the intellectual capital of its world-class engineering and physical sciences faculties, has the capacity to create an academic enterprise of unprecedented depth, focus and impact to address these challenges,” said Amon.

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The University of Toronto launches Boundless, its $2-billion fundraising campaign

sgupta — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 17:18:00 +0000

The University of Toronto launches Boundless, its $2-billion fundraising campaign sgupta Sun, 11/20/2011 - 12:18

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President David Naylor (left), Chancellor David Peterson (centre) and Vice-President (Advancement) David Palmer are surrounded by students as they launch the University of Toronto's new fundraising campaign. (Photo by Caz Zyvatkauskas)

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Largest fundraising campaign in Canadian university history

The University of Toronto has unveiled Boundless, the largest fundraising campaign in Canadian university history. With a historic $2-billion goal, the campaign for the University of Toronto will help expand U of T’s global leadership capacity across critical areas of knowledge and help develop the talent, ideas and solutions for the defining challenges of our time.

University of Toronto President David Naylor made the announcement at a ceremony in Convocation Hall at the downtown St. George campus. With this new campaign, U of T will explore the boundless possibilities of its community of alumni, students and faculty for global leadership and societal impact. (Enjoy photos from the launch.)

“Canada must have universities that can achieve two related goals: conduct the advanced research that will help solve the grand challenges humanity now faces, and offer the best and brightest students an exceptional education to help them build a better world. No university in Canada is better positioned to meet those objectives than the University of Toronto,” said Naylor.

The campaign’s goal is $2 billion in philanthropic support, of which nearly half—$966 million—has been secured. The campaign has two central pillars:

Preparing global citizens will foster international fluency and leadership skills among the University’s almost 80,000 undergraduate and graduate students – by raising funds to support student awards and build learning environments that nurture creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, disciplinary excellence, interdisciplinary inquiry and global perspectives.
Meeting global challenges will support path-breaking research and teaching that generates solutions for healthy, sustainable and successful societies, while also strengthening the essential foundation of basic research. Funds raised will support the University’s world-class minds, attract a new generation of “rising star” faculty and make critical enhancements to programs and infrastructure.

Notwithstanding recent investments in higher education in Ontario, U of T’s total revenue per full-time student is about 41 per cent lower than the average for publicly funded peer institutions in the U.S.

“The fact that we are able to compete with—and in many cases outperform—our peers, both in Canada and around the world, speaks to the excellence of our students, faculty and staff,” said Naylor.

Over the last decade, U of T has consistently ranked among the top 30 universities in the world—and consistently among the top three for scholarly output.

The university’s previous campaign, which closed in December 2003, raised $1 billion and remains the most successful campaign in Canadian history. The campaign played a vital role in vaulting the University of Toronto into the top ranks of universities worldwide. Now, nearly eight years later, the university is ready to build on this foundation, to advance groundbreaking research and teaching, seize on new opportunities and broaden our impact on the global issues that matter most to Canadians.

“This is an extraordinary milestone for the university,” said David Peterson, chancellor of U of T. “With input from across our community, we have developed an eloquent, bold vision for a world-leading university in the 21st century. We will look to our global network of friends and alumni – who now number more than 500,000 across 174 countries – to join us in this exciting campaign. With their generosity and involvement, we will work together on fundamental questions that will shape the course of human knowledge and experience and prepare our students for leadership in an increasingly borderless world.”

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