A Magazine for Alumni and Friends
– Assistant Professor Laura Allan
Laurier’s Changemaker Campus designation has been renewed by Ashoka U for three years. The designation and its renewal recognize Laurier's commitment to the values and ideas of change-making, which are reflected in the university's Strategic Plan and institutional priorities.
Ashoka U is a global network that strives to foster a culture of social innovation in higher education and is part of Ashoka, a respected international association dedicated to the belief that individuals and organizations can create positive social change. Laurier first received its Changemaker Campus designation in March 2016 and was only the second university in Canada to hold the status at the time.
The Changemaker designation applies to all of Laurier’s locations, including the Waterloo and Brantford campuses, as well as the Faculty of Social Work in Kitchener.
“At Laurier, we are committed to inspiring lives of leadership and purpose,” says Laura Allan, assistant professor of business and former executive director of the Schlegel Centre for Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation. “It’s not just our motto; it’s what we do and what we stand for. It’s about helping students develop the mindset and skills to emerge as leaders that can make real change in the world and about inspiring them to do so.”
Students at all levels of study have opportunities to integrate entrepreneurship and social innovation into their Laurier experience, including degree programs in Global Studies, Social Justice and Community Engagement, and options and minors in areas such as social entrepreneurship, social innovation, leadership and sustainability.
Outside the classroom, Laurier offers several change-making opportunities for students, including those offered through the Faculty of Arts’ C3 Innovations Labs, LaunchPad Incubators at the Brantford and Waterloo campuses, the Changemaker Innovation Challenge, campus maker spaces, and extracurricular initiatives dedicated to sustainability and inclusion.