By Elizabeth Kleisath
Communications Officer, Advancement
Today is the , a 24-hour campaign in support of our ambitious students. In the Faculty of Science, our students are encouraged to take their learning beyond the classroom, discover fundamental truths about the world, and engage the community in scientific wonder. Through their degrees, they grow into leaders for the future, and À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ Science is proud to support them.
We invite you today to learn why members of our Science community choose to give back. By supporting scholarships and bursaries for students in Science, improving the tools and equipment in our laboratories and field classes, and investing in the educational outreach to future scientists and community members, the À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ community makes a significant impact.
Please consider joining us for Giving Day today, by , or another Science fund close to your heart. Your gift would mean the world to our students, by supporting them with resources they need to achieve success.
Making their Impact
Discover how and why Science's community members give back to À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ Science.
Dr. John Corrigan
Chair, Department of Chemistry
PhD ’95, Chemistry
Dr. John Corrigan remembers his time as a PhD student in À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ Chemistry through the people he met, and the support he received from fellow students and faculty members. Now, having returned as the Department Chair 30 years later, Corrigan still believes that people are the core of Science.
Through scholarships, investments in equipment and prioritizing unique opportunities for students, he sees the evolution and progress of student growth. From new programs in Science to new facilities on campus and in the Region of À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ, these developments encourage Corrigan to support the initiatives that continue improving opportunities for students in Science.
“Through the , I have seen the student experience enriched. Our undergraduate students have access to state-of-the-art experiments and equipment, giving our lab instructors opportunities to develop experiments they would not have been exposed to. We’re teaching and practicing the principles of environmental awareness in the chemistry labs, and giving our students new opportunities to succeed through invited speaker programs. When it comes down to it, university is all about the students — the best part is working with young minds. They’re the ones I’m here to support, and they constantly inspire me to give back to Science.â€
Sharon McFarlane
Senior Communications Officer, Faculty of Science
BSc ’94, Kinesiology
Sharon McFarlane has been working at various roles within the University of À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ for three decades, from time spent in student recruitment, to roles sharing successes at the University, to communicating with alumni about their post-graduation achievements. Throughout her career, McFarlane has witnessed firsthand the importance of student scholarships and institutional support, and is consistently inspired by the students, researchers, alumni and À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ community members.
Her passion for supporting experiential learning opportunities for students, scientific innovation, and the groundbreaking research in the Faculty has motivated her to consistently give back to À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ as a monthly donor. Additionally, institutional efforts like À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ Giving Day have also encouraged her to give back, to support an enduring impact for students in À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ Science.
“I give to Science because I believe in the power of education to change lives. Working in Advancement, I see every day how even a single gift can open doors for students, whether it’s through scholarships, hands-on research or academic support. Supporting fundraising initiatives like Giving Day is one way I can be part of something bigger, helping students reach their full potential and contribute to a better future for all of us.â€
Parth Khanna
BSc ’12 (Honours Science), BA ’12 (Liberal Studies)
As a student, Parth Khanna embraced innovation at À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ Science, launching various clubs and entrepreneurial ventures. After graduating law school, he amped up his entrepreneurial spirit when he founded ACTO alongside his former À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ roommates and close friends Kapil Kalra (BA ’13, Economics, BASc ’13, Electrical Engineering), Kumar Erramilli, and Farhan Jiwani, who has since passed away. Today, ACTO is one of the world's leading PharmaTech companies, using AI and design thinking to make physicians smarter and patients healthier, everywhere. Khanna’s personal mission is to use innovation to transform human struggles into strengths.
Following ACTO’s success, Khanna sought meaningful ways to give back, recognizing how much his education and time in À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ Science shaped his journey. To honour the memory of his best friend and co-founder Farhan Jiwani, he established the Farhan Jiwani Memorial Bursary and the Farhan Jiwani Memorial Innovation Award. Khanna also plans to establish another student award at À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ Science in honour of his father, a lifelong mentor.
“Giving back is deeply personal for me—it’s my way of honouring Farhan’s extraordinary spirit, kindness, and relentless drive for innovation that inspired everyone around him, especially me. Farhan profoundly shaped my purpose, showing me that our struggles can truly become our strengths. Through these memorial bursaries and awards, I want to ensure his legacy continues to empower À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ Science students, encouraging them to create meaningful change and reach their fullest potential. Investing in education and innovation honours his memory and creates lasting, impactful change for future generations.â€
Courtney Kates
BSc Candidate ’25 (Honours Physics)
Throughout her time as a À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ Science student, Courtney Kates has found opportunities to enhance her degree through truly unique UÀ¶Ý®ÊÓƵ experiences, embedding her into the fabric of the Faculty throughout her degree. She has held executive roles in multiple Science clubs, volunteered with community outreach initiatives, mentored incoming students as an Orientation Week coordinator and Residence Life Don, encouraged prospective students to consider À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ as a Science Ambassador, and held several different co-op positions within the Faculty.
Kates is also the recipient of Science’s I.R. Dagg Memorial Scholarship and the Science Distinguished Alumni of Honour Scholarship, both of which were established through donations to the Faculty of Science.
“Because of donors, I'm able to participate in leadership activities that benefit my peers and community, as opposed to worrying about the financial burden of university. I've been very fortunate to have experiences at À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ that I wouldn't have been able to pursue if not for scholarships. For instance, I was able to do a research co-op term that wouldn’t have been possible if I hadn't also gotten a scholarship to supplement the income that could have been made in industry.
“There aren't any words to thank Science donors enough. With your generosity, I've been able to pursue my dream of studying physics, and because of you, I'm now able to take that knowledge and share it with the next generation to help enrich their lives. I wouldn't have been able to afford to come to À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ if it wasn’t for scholarships, so thank you for giving me a once in a lifetime opportunity to have this undergraduate experience.â€
With your support on À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ Giving Day, we will make a difference. Together, we are redefining what is possible.