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Wilfrid Laurier University (WLU) is located in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
It is one of two universities in Waterloo, along with the University of Waterloo.
Its motto is Veritas Omnia Vincit (Truth conquers all); its colours are purple and gold, and its sports teams are the Golden Hawks.
Wilfrid Laurier's Waterloo campus is well known throughout Canada for its top quality business program, graduate school of social work, and innovative faculty of music. Wilfrid Laurier University offers a full range of undergraduate programs. It has a compact campus and relatively small enrollment compared with other Ontario universities.
In addition to undergraduate programs, Wilfrid Laurier University offers graduate programs in a variety of fields up to and including the Doctorate level.
History
Wilfrid Laurier University's history as an institution of higher learning dates back to 1911 when the Evangelical Lutheran Seminary of Canada [1] (http://www.wlu.ca/~wwwsem/index.shtml) opened its doors to students. This was a result of the agreement made between the Canada Synod and the Synod of Central Canada of the Lutheran Church who decided they wanted to open a Lutheran Seminary. Waterloo was selected as the location of the seminary for two main reasons, the first being that land was offered by the citizens of Waterloo on the boundary of town for the seminary and the second being that most of the Lutherans in Canada at the time resided in Waterloo and Berlin (now known as Kitchener).
In 1914 the Seminary developed facilities for pre-theological education. These courses could lead to senior matriculation, which was offered by Waterloo College.
In 1924 the Waterloo College of Arts was established, offering post-secondary four-year programs. In 1925 the Faculty of Arts, under the name of Waterloo College, affiliated with the University of Western Ontario.
In 1960 the Seminary revised its charter. Waterloo College changed its name to Waterloo Lutheran University and ended its affiliation with University of Western Ontario.
Waterloo Lutheran University became a public institution, Wilfrid Laurier University, on November 1, 1973, named after The Right Honourable Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Canada's seventh prime minister. Bill 178 was given Royal Assent to make it official.
Wilfrid Laurier opened a second campus, in Brantford, Ontario, in September of 1999. Construction of two new residence apartment buildings, a new academic building, and a large addition to the science building were completed in 2004.
Achievements
- Wilfrid Laurier University has consistently ranked among Canada's top universities, a ranking which was confirmed by Maclean's Magazine's October 1999 survey (5th place overall in 2004, 2002, 1998, and 1997 as well).
- Current headquarters of the United Nations (ACUNS) Academic Council on the United Nations System which was previously hosted by Yale, Brown and Dartmouth. The ACUNS goal is to strengthen the study of international organizations and to create strong ties between the academic community and diplomats within international organizations.
- Highest success rate, CA and CMA exams
- Laurier is the highest ranked Canadian university for undergraduate admission marks (Maclean's Magazine, 2004, 1999 and 2000).
- Laurier has offered a part-time MBA program since 1976 and a full-time program since 1986.
- The Laurier School of Business & Economics launched Canada's first full-time one- year MBA program in 1986 and recently launched Canada's first fully integrated MBA to give both the MBA degree at the same time as earning an accounting designation, a CMA.
Athletics
The university is represented in Canadian Interuniversity Sport by the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks. On November 13, 2004, the Golden Hawks football team won the Yates Cup against the McMaster Marauders at University Stadium in front of a record crowd of 8,175. It was the sixth Yates Cup victory for Laurier in their history. The game also ended McMaster's four-year Ontario championship winning streak.
Famous alumni and faculty
- Hon. Sean Conway - Former MPP for Renfrew Nippising Pembroke and longest serving MPP in Ontario history
- Paul Heinbecker - Former Canadian Ambassador to UN
- Cheryl Pounder - Olympic gold medalist and five-time world champion - Athletic Department
Presidents and Chancellor
- Chancellor Hon. Paul Martin Sr., PC, QC - Former Labour, Foreign Affairs, Health Minister, leader in the Senate and father of Prime Minister Paul Martin.
- Chancellor William Ross Macdonald PC, CD, QC (1964-?) - Former Parliamentary Speaker, Solicitor-General of Canada, Senator and Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario
- Chancellor Maureen Forrester (1986-90) - Canadian Opera Singer of the 1950's and 1960's who received nearly 30 honorary doctorates.
- Chancellor Willard Estey CC, LLM, LLD, QC (1990-1995) - Former Supreme Court Justice
- Chancellor John Cleghorn (2001-2003) - Former President of Royal Bank of Canada
- Chancellor Hon. Bob Rae PC, OC, QC (2003-present) - Former Premier of Ontario
- President Dr. Lorna Marsden (1992-1997)
- President Dr. Robert G. Rosehart (1997-present)
External links
See also Wilfrid Laurier University StudentsÂ’ Union
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