Western celebrates turning 139

Western University celebrated its 139 birthday by hosting delicious treats, tasty beverages and live music at The Wave restaurant on campus in honour of Founder’s Day.

Fellow staff, faculty and students were there including President Amit Chakma who was chatting it up with many who were present there. Chakma says that the event is a great way to remember the history of a school that has become so successful with its staff and students, ” We are celebrating our founding, 139 years ago so it is an opportunity to remind people where we came from, how far we have come, and where we are going as an occasion to celebrate and coming together.”

After all, the school has seen  Ontario premiers John Robarts and David Robertson  to Nobel Prize winners in Frederick Banting and Alice Munro walk through the doors while also having many other successful people as well. President Amit Chakma says that since the beginning, the founders have always focused on student learning, ” Historically, we are fortunate that our founding fathers and those who followed them have paid attention to student learning, so that tradition is strong at Western and will continue onto the future. I subject most of my decisions into the filter  for what is good for the students and that thrust runs through our organisation that makes Western a good school for students.”

With 139 years passed, the future for Western University will look bright with Amit Chakma saying the focus will be on the modernisation of the campus and growth of the school, ” Looking ahead we want to remain a strong national institute and the building process continues.  If you look at our university-college building, we are refurbishing the building so that is modernisation. There are two buildings currently under construction and in the coming months we will be presenting a budget that will allocate funds to build 2 other buildings. In my 8 years, we have grown from 43,000 to 53,000. We are growing in a very strategic matter.”