Tiger Magazine - Spring/Summer 2023

SPRING/SUMMER 2023

CONTRIBUTORS

writing

Tyler Adair

Ed Kidd

Kory Lippert

Abbey Palmer ‘24

editing

Tyler Adair

Melissa Stephens

design

John Burns

Andrea Chan

photography

John Burns

Andrea Chan

Danny Custodio

Amy Forte

printing

Battlefield Press

COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING

Tyler Adair

Content Writer

John Burns

Digital Communications Specialist

Andrea Chan

Graphic Designer & Photographer

P.O. Box 3013 - 2 Ridley Road, St. Catharines Ontario, Canada L2R 7C3 905-684-1889

ridleycollege.com

PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40069450

RETURN UNDELIVERABLE

CANADIAN ADDRESS TO CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT

P.O. BOX 3013 - ST. CATHARINES ONTARIO, CANADA L2R 7C3

Melissa Stephens Director, Strategic Communications & Marketing Solely

On Monumental Moments

Headmaster’s Headlines

Greetings from Ridley! Welcome to the Spring/Summer 2023 edition of the Tiger—the publication that celebrates campus life and student accomplishment throughout the school year.

This year, we proudly welcomed another record cohort of 764 students from 55 countries, our largest Class to date. This trend is a testament to our growing reputation as a global leader in independent education. We continue to adapt our admissions process to ensure we’re delivering an exceptional experience and meeting the increased demand.

As we look forward to the future, we also bid farewell to our graduates from the Class of 2023. These events remind us that a Ridley education is more than just a diploma—it is a transformative journey, rich with lifelong friendships and unforgettable memories, that continues far beyond the Marriott Gates. As our alumni know, no matter where you are in the world, Ridley will always be your home.

This year has been marked by several monumental moments— the theme of this issue—that have shaped the tradition and culture of our institution. Most notably, we celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Memorial Chapel—the very heart and soul of our campus. The centenary service was a tremendous evening filled with joyful celebration, moving performances, and meaningful reflection, presided over by alumnus The Right Reverend Andrew Asbil '80, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Toronto. Generations of Ridleians gathered to commemorate the lasting impact the Chapel has had on the lives of so many. The Chapel is also the subject of an article by student Abbey Palmer ’24, which details the history and legacy of the Chapel, featuring reflections and cherished memories shared by alumni and former faculty and staff members (p. 34).

It is an exciting time on campus at the moment. Renovations to the Iggulden Building and Athletic Complex are in full swing, thanks to the generosity of our alumni and parent donors who have supported the $50 million Campaign for Ridley, our largest capital project to date. Among them are transformational donors, Ryan and Nicki Serravalle (p. 38) and G. Scott Paterson ’82 (p. 41), who are profiled in this issue. As mentioned in our feature article by Director of Development,

Kory Lippert (p. 31), these remarkable transformations will both embrace progress and preserve tradition, honouring the rich history of Ridley College by respecting the integrity of these spaces while cementing our place as a leader in Canadian independent education.

Furthermore, we are thrilled to announce the addition of a standalone Middle School on campus, a groundbreaking initiative that will further enrich the Ridley experience for our students. Beginning this fall, our new Middle School will live in the Second Century Building (2CB). As we embark on this exciting new chapter in our history, we reflect on the tremendous success and excitement of our Second Century Campaign, which was completed 34 years ago, ushering Ridley College into the future. This campaign, then the most successful in our history, as well as the future of 2CB, is the subject of this issue’s Archives Corner article (p. 58).

Our Alumni@Work profiles feature two alumni who have not only made significant impacts in their respective fields but are shaping the very future of our planet. Aaron Brindle '94, who has worked closely with the innovators of Canada’s artificial intelligence boom for the last decade, shares his thoughts on these disruptive technologies (p. 50), while Catherine Marot '13 has dedicated herself to tackling the global issue of plastic waste with her Toronto-based venture, CASE, earning her recognition as one of Canada's top sustainability leaders (p. 47). Our Service Feature, a new addition to the Tiger, examines the work of Adrian Goodliffe ’93, who, for nearly two decades, has been consumed in service as a field delegate and fundraiser for the International Red Cross (p. 29).

The stories and achievements shared within these pages are a testament to the resilience, spirit, and talent of our Ridley community. As we embark on a new school year, we are filled with pride and anticipation for what lies ahead.

Terar Dum Prosim, J. Edward Kidd Headmaster

FEATURE STORIES

Adrian Goodliffe '93

Transforming Ridley

TigerPost: The Ridley College Memorial Chapel Turns 100

DONOR PROFILES

Ryan and Nicki Serravalle

G. Scott Paterson '82

ALUMNI@WORK

Catherine Marot '13

Aaron Brindle '94

ALUMNI ANNOUNCEMENTS

Class Notes

Births & Marriages

Faculty & Staff Notes

Retirements

Obituaries

ARCHIVES CORNER

Celebrating a Century of Excellence:

Remembering the Second Century Campaign

LIFE ON campus

Discover the remarkable journey of our school community, where this year's theme of belonging has forged stronger bonds and ignited a profound sense of unity. From cherished traditions to the birth of new ones, our shared experiences have truly brought this theme to life, fostering a culture where every individual feels valued, respected and deeply connected.

OWNING the game

CELEBRATING 100 years of Chapel

SINGING from the heart

100 YEARS OF the Family

Guild

TRADITION and discipline

FRIENDLY competition

HONOURING a legend

1. Ridley Model U.N. Takes to the U.S. Capital

In February, the group travelled to Washington, D.C. for the North American Invitational Model United Nations (NAIMUN) Conference.

2. MYP Personal Project and TOK Exhibition

Grade 10 students presented their year-long projects, where peers and the extended community enjoyed a range of fascinating projects, including stock market investing, composting, guitar building, and more.

3. Students Create Personalized Phone Apps

In February, our Grade 10 Computer Technology students created their own personalized apps with themes including wardrobe coordination, recipes and planets chess.

4. 36th Annual Literary Dinner

Writers, poets, speakers, faculty, and esteemed guests gathered at Kenyon Lett House for a dinner and reception to celebrate our 36th annual Literary Dinner with our guest of honour, author Kim Thúy.

5. Irshad Manji Returns to Campus

After forging a new partnership with Irshad Manji and Moral Courage, we welcomed her back to campus in October to continue her work with our students, helping them to better understand what it means to hear, not fear, differences.

Niagara Spelling Bee

Two students, Liam Siao ‘30 and Rayhan Salman ’31, placed in the top three of the competition, demonstrating great knowledge, comprehension and public speaking skills.

Twins Shine at International Science Competition

Alex Li '24 and Bobo Li '24 competed in the Bay Area Science and Engineering Fair in Hamilton in March. Alex's project on the preservation of coral reefs was awarded the gold medal, qualifying him to compete in the International Science and Engineering Fair.

Niagara Regional Science and Engineering Fair

In April, a team of Rideians won Best Team Project in the Junior Division, as well as a number of individual awards, at the Niagara Regional Science and Engineering Fair.

Congratulations to Jovienne Bellefleur-Ralph '28, Tau Sterling '28, Charles Smith '28, Kate Peever '28, Hope Lynam '28, Sophia Reid '28, and Phoebe Zeng '28.

MGI-Gordon Distinguished Speaker Series Returns

We are so grateful to have had three amazing speakers join us for this year’s MGI-Gordon Distinguished Speaker Series to share their wealth of knowledge and expertise with the Ridley community.

Alumnus and Olympian Jason Dorland ‘83 kickstarted the series with “What’s LOVE got to do with it?” speaking intimately about his new book, IKE: the dog who saved a human, and sharing many lessons from his journey.

The series continued with award-winning author and global sustainability leader Dr. Bruce Lourie, who took to the Mandeville stage to talk about our ongoing environmental challenges and how we can take action.

Closing out the series was bestselling author Kim Thúy, who spoke about her work, addressing questions of identity, belonging, displacement, love, and community in the process.

Thank you to all of our speakers for joining us and sharing their wonderful insights.

1. Ridley Orators Dazzle in Public Speaking Competition

Our Ridley student orators showcased their exceptional communication skills at this year’s Speaking Festivals held throughout March. Congratulations to our award winners from both competitions.

2. Girls in the Boat

Ridley students took to the Mandeville stage to perform Girls in the Boat, a story that follows the members of the first U.S. Olympic women’s rowing team and how they overcame personal and political obstacles to carve out their place in the sport.

3. Ridley College Symphony Orchestra Shines at Golden Horseshoe Music Festival

In March, the Ridley College Symphony Orchestra performed at the Golden Horseshoe Music Festival in Ancaster. The musicians impressed the panel of clinicians with their talent and were granted an invitation to the National Music Festival in Niagara Falls.

4. Arts in April Returns

Arts in April provides students with opportunities to showcase their artistic talents to their peers and the wider community. This year's festival kicked off on March 14th with the Ridley Independent Film Festival (RIFF) and continued with the Canadian Independent Schools Music Festival (CISMF) in Toronto, where several Ridleians performed alongside student musicians from across the country. This year also saw a new addition to our annual programming—the Arts University Fair and Portfolio Review, which exposed students to the range of post-secondary pathways available in the arts and taught them how to build a strong admissions portfolio. The month

Taurus Moon Concert

In January, the Ridley Family Guild partnered with Chantal Kreviazuk, Raine Maida ’88 and Rowan Maida ‘23 to bring the Taurus Moon Concert to Ridley College. In support of Niagara choir Tomorrow’s Voices and Ridley’s Bursary and Scholarship programme, this charity concert was a captivating, hit-filled performance that had the entire crowd singing along!

closed with the IB2 Arts Exhibition and Arts Awards ceremony, which celebrated academic achievement in the arts. Congratulations to all the young artists who participated.

5. Ridley Theatre Presents: You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown

During the winter production of You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown, Ridley students took to the Mandeville stage to bring the Peanuts gang to life. The play balanced humour with touching life lessons, reminding us that what matters most is those who accompany us on our journey.

6. House Painting Competition

Generates Impressive Art

This year’s annual House painting competition in February led to the creation of nine dynamic and creative acrylic paintings made in response to the theme of transformation. The creative minds of Mandeville House and Merritt House North took the prizes for best work.

7. String Master Class

In January, Ridley hosted the internationally renowned Canadian violist Marina Thibeault, who gave a masterclass for our talented string players. Marina worked one-on-one with the students as she offered advice on violin techniques and harmonic rhythm.

Music Master Class in Mandeville

In September, music students from Grades 6 through 12 witnessed virtuoso performances by three visiting musicians, Erika Rose, Zoltan Kalman, and Janos Balint. We thank these talented musicians for presenting such a high-calibre performance and offering advice and instruction to our aspiring musicians.

4 5

1. World Hockey Championship

Charlotte Pieckenhagen ‘24 was selected to compete in the IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship in Sweden. Team Canada walked away with the gold medal as they finished the tournament with a 10-0 triumph over Sweden—including a fabulous goal by Charlotte.

2. Student Shines in Ontario Open Junior Championships

Caitlin Ng ‘25 had an amazing weekend at the Squash Ontario Open Junior Championships in April and was recognized by the organization as the Most Improved U19 girl. She is the first recipient of this award in the Niagara Region, pictured with Ridley squash coach, Dave Forgeron.

3. Ontario Indoor Rowing Championships

Ridley College hosted the Ontario Indoor Rowing Championships in the Fieldhouse in March. Ridley Rowing had 83 entries, with several amazing Ridleians securing top-three finishes in the competition.

4. Prep Boys Hockey wins Canadian Prep School Alliance Championship

Our Prep Boys Hockey team claimed this year’s Canadian Prep School Hockey Championships, defeating Stanstead College in the finals.

5.

U14 Girls Volleyball Become CISAA Champions

The U14 Girls Volleyball team finished in first place to secure the CISAA Championship, defeating Pickering College and TCS in this year’s Final Four event.

Ridley Alumnus Nominated for Top Hockey Award

Alumnus Ryan Mahshie ‘17 was nominated for the prestigious Hobey Baker Award given to the top NCAA men’s ice hockey player in the nation. Ryan met up with the current Prep Boys Hockey team in December to discuss his time at Ridley and his experience as a student-athlete in the NCAA.

Ridley Rowing travels to South Carolina

Over the March Break, our Ridley rowers ventured to South Carolina for our annual March Break rowing camp. Our studentathletes spent much of their time engaging in on-water training, soaking up sun rays and preparing for the upcoming season. They also enjoyed a plethora of fun camp activities and sightseeing in Charleston.

Ridley Shines at Head of the Fish Regatta

In November, our Ridley rowers travelled to Saratoga, NY for the Head of the Fish Regatta. Our U17 Boys and Girls placed within the top 10 against teams from top east coast colleges, universities, schools, and clubs.

2023 CSSRA Championships

Ridley Rowing had the most entries at the 2023 CSSRA championships. Our Tigers performed spectacularly at this year's event, with several athletes taking home gold and silver. Following the event, we were honoured to christen a new quad in honour of Nancy Storrs, whose contributions to Ridley Rowing have been immeasurable. A huge thank you to all members of the Ridley Rowing community who generously supported our "Road to the CSSRA" initiative.

Photographer: Lee-Ann Kraus

1. Tigers Participate in Coldest Night of the Year Fundraiser

In February, several of our students braved the cold and participated in Start Me Up Niagara’s "Coldest Night of the Year" fundraiser. Participating Ridley students raised $3,000 for the event through various fundraising initiatives, living up to our school motto, Terar Dum Prosim

2. Ridleians Recognized at Volunteer Recognition Awards

Four Ridleians were recognized at this year's Volunteer Recognition Awards, held by the City of St. Catharines in honour of National Volunteer Week. These awards celebrate individuals who have shown selfless dedication to an organization and/or have made a significant difference in the community. Congratulations to Emma Massis '24, Wendy Pak, Trish Loat, and Suzanne Court '86.

3. Arthur Bishop East Boys Walk a Mile in HER Shoes

In October, the boys of AB East marched across campus in support of Gillian’s Place to act in solidarity against gender-based violence.

4. Guatemala Service Trip Over March Break, students travelled to Guatemala to support the Doppenberg family in their mission to end the cycle of poverty and malnutrition in rural areas of the country. Students installed smokeless stoves in homes in Mayan mountain villages and led English classes for local students at the Centre of Hope School.

5. Do Good, Feel Good

In January, students and teachers focused their attention on mental health, self-care and positive emotions. One of the main themes this year was connecting mental wellness to nutrition. Through different eating initiatives, our students learned how to prioritize healthy eating to match their busy lives.

6. Winter Wellness

In February, our students participated in a Winter Wellness Day to relax and rejuvenate with fun and engaging activities. Our Upper School Houses participated in an art competition while our youngest Tigers enjoyed free skate time.

7. Helping Hands

During the first Community Service Saturday of December, a group of Upper School students built prosthetic hands that will be distributed to those in need around the world.

Consumed in Service

In April, a group of student leaders had the opportunity to visit the Niagara Children’s Centre, the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority and STEP Youth Resource Centre. These Ridleians were able to learn about sustainable practices and various services within the community.

Ridleians Support Annual Shoebox Project Initiative

As the holiday season returned to Ridley, a group of students led by Emma Massis ‘24 collected gifts for the Shoebox Project, an initiative that provides practical gifts to women living in shelters or experiencing homelessness.

Cadet Parade and Inspection

The Ridley Cadet Corps No. 162 RCACC continued tradition with the Church Parade and Cadet Inspection. Spectators enjoyed a brief Church Parade that saw Kechun (Tony) Wu ‘23 complete a successful mace toss, followed by the 114th Cadet Inspection. Thank you to our Inspecting Officer, Dr. Lesley Rigg, President and Vice-Chancellor of Brock University.

FEATURE stories

Terar Dum Prosim: ADRIAN GOODLIFFE ‘93

For decades, Adrian Goodliffe ’93 has been a tireless crusader for humanitarian action. His commitment to Terar Dum Prosim has taken him on mission to the far reaches of the globe as a former field delegate and fundraiser for the International Red Cross.

Throughout his career, Adrian Goodliffe has supported humanitarian efforts in Africa and the Middle East in a myriad of ways. His efforts in these regions reflect an unyielding commitment to making our world a better place, despite placing him at the centre of many, often violent, global conflicts.

Adrian came to Ridley College in Grade 8 in 1987. As a student, he played football and rowed, winning the CSSRA championships as a member of the heavy eight crew in his graduating year. Looking back, he notes that his humanitarian outlook was largely shaped by the influence of two former history teachers, Mr. James Bryan and Mr. Paul Lewis.

“I was able to learn a lot about the large world we live in

because Ridley had students from all over the world, and I was coming from North Dakota, so that was a big change,” he explains.

After graduating from Ridley in 1993, Adrian studied Political Science and French Literature at McGill University. Following that, he briefly taught English in Poland before attending graduate school at the University of Brussels, where he studied International Relations.

Following this final stretch of schooling, he took a job at an NGO in Brussels, where he worked for four years before joining the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in 2004, an organization which provides humanitarian aid and assistance for victims of war and other violent conflicts.

“My former employer recommended that I join because it would be an amazing opportunity to do some hands-on humanitarian work and really make a difference,” he explains.

“My centre of interest was the Arab world, so I originally went to Damascus in Syria to learn Arabic, then to Palestine and Lebanon. I applied [to the Red Cross] as an Arabic speaker, and that’s how they hired me. My first mission was in the Palestinian territories,” he continues.

Since then, Adrian has done humanitarian missions all over the world. However, the vast majority, he explains, have been in Arabic-speaking countries in Africa.

“My first African mission was in Sudan, and that is probably still my favourite mission. It was extremely difficult but, at the same time, very rewarding. The humanitarian response was important, and our Sudanese colleagues, their families, and the population in general, were confronted with enormous difficulties. As a foreign humanitarian worker, knowing we would eventually leave these great people we worked and collaborated with in such a difficult crisis was the most difficult part of the job. But it was an extremely interesting experience with a lot of wonderful human exchanges,” he reflects.

Following his mission in Sudan, he ventured to neighbouring Chad, Senegal, Niger, Mali, the Congo, and Somalia. As a field delegate, his role mainly consisted of networking with the military authorities to ensure civilians and prisoners were well treated and overseeing development projects in conflict areas in which he was deployed.

“A lot of the work consists of networking with the authorities to get access to prisoners. It’s your job to tell the authorities— the fighting parties, the armies, or armed groups—that they have to uphold humanitarian principles to protect civilians and prisoners, and we can help them in doing this. People who are not directly involved in the fighting must not be targeted and need to be allowed to pursue their lives as much as possible,” he explains.

“There's a lot of project management as well where you're also overseeing different projects that are taking place in

the area that you cover, whether it’s economic support, microeconomic initiatives, or water and sanitation projects. If they're big infrastructure projects, you tend to get a lot of support from headquarters,” he continues.

For the last 12 years, Adrian has worked at headquarters in Geneva, where he now lives, occupying the role of Resource Mobilization Head for Africa for the ICRC. In this role, he works with African governments to mobilize their support for the Red Cross and compel them to support the organization financially.

“Fundraising is quite difficult and challenging work. Our budgets are increasing all the time, and it’s very competitive,” he says.

“Many of these African nations are not at all used to contributing to humanitarian organizations. They’re much more used to receiving funding. It’s an interesting dynamic where you’re really trying to persuade them to contribute to the Red Cross,” he continues.

“A significant part of our budget goes to African operations, something like 42% or 43%, which is an enormous amount of money—about $1 billion Swiss francs is just for Africa,” he explains.

“The majority of donors are essentially North American, Western European, and Asian governments. My goal is ultimately to get African governments to do their share and contribute to our humanitarian budget,” he continues.

When asked what advice he has for young Ridleians, he tells students to set their sights on the world.

“Go out and be open to the world. Don’t stay too set in your ways. Ridley gives you an amazing education, but there’s so much else out there in the world,” he says.

“Get that amazing education—the amazing extracurriculars and sports—then get out and see the world. Travel to places you think are interesting, but also to places you have never really heard about. Get out of your comfort zone. You have your whole life ahead of you,” he concludes.

Transforming Ridley: A NEW CHAPTER IN OUR CAMPUS HISTORY

BY KORY LIPPERT, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

On March 7th, 2022, Ridley College commenced the largest capital project in our school's 134-year history. A significant milestone for the Ridley community, this ambitious endeavour at the heart of our campus is the first of a series of transformative changes that will redefine the Ridley landscape and elevate the student experience to new heights.

The renewal of the Iggulden Building and Griffith Athletic Complex—along with the addition of a new outdoor quad—will usher in a new chapter of excellence and progress at Ridley and affirm our place at the forefront of independent education in Canada. The Iggulden Building, the future home of our state-of-the-art Learning Commons and home of the arts at Ridley, will serve as both the geographical and educational heart of our campus, while our renovated Athletic Complex will propel Ridley’s student-athletes to

new heights. Finally, the creation of a vibrant new quad will serve as a central gathering place, enhancing the overall campus experience for all Ridleians.

While embracing these transformative changes, Ridley remains committed to honouring its rich history. We have seized upon the opportunity to repurpose the physical Iggulden Building to preserve the cherished memories and stories of those who have walked these halls throughout the years. Within the new Learning

Commons, elements of the past will be integrated, including our old scoreboard and sections of flooring as a reminder of the basketball court that once occupied this space, while the former squash courts will find new life as a performance hall. Furthermore, the Griffith Gymnasium will be the recipient of a facelift, with glass walls in place of the old concrete ones to open up the space and provide a refreshing upgrade.

Beyond the physical transformation, the core objective of this project is 10 425 9 50 121

donors of $1M+ total donors

donors of $500K–1M

donors of $100K–500K donors of $10K–100K

to revolutionize the student experience and bring Ridley's learning spaces into the 21st century. The inclusion of new film classrooms, design technology spaces, a digital studio, and multi-disciplinary makerspaces will empower students with resources and technology typically found only at the university level. State-of-the-art music and recording spaces will nurture our students' creative talents, while upgraded athletic facilities will position Ridley at the forefront of independent school athletics, enabling our student-athletes to excel in sport and easing the transition to post-secondary athletic opportunities.

The success of this transformative project can be attributed in large part to the unwavering support and generosity of the Ridley community. Numerous donors have recognized the importance of this endeavour and have made historic contributions, propelling Ridley's fundraising efforts to new heights.

The campaign's inaugural donation in 2017, a remarkable $5 million, marked the largest gift in Ridley's history at the time. Since then, the campaign has attracted several transformative gifts in the mid-seven-figure range, showcasing the dedication and passion of Ridley's alumni and families.

Since the commencement of the campaign, we have hit a number of historic fundraising milestones. In total, there have been 425 donors to the campaign, including 90 donors who have made their first major gift of $10,000 or more. 10 donors have made gifts of $1 million or more, nine between $500,000 and $1 million, 50 between $100,000 and $500,000, and 121 between $10,000 and $100,000. Together, these transformative gifts and contributions have allowed the school to embark on this new chapter of its history.

Our fundraising efforts have placed Ridley among the ranks of other prominent independent schools, a testament to the incredible commitment and support of our community. We extend our deepest gratitude to all the donors and supporters who have generously contributed to this campaign. Your belief in our mission and vision has propelled us forward and fortified our position as leaders in independent education in Canada for years to come.

As we look ahead to the future, we are filled with a sense of anticipation and excitement. We recognize the significance of this moment in our history. It is a time of growth, innovation and progress. With each passing day, we move closer to a campus that reflects the spirit of excellence and tradition that defines Ridley. Together, we are shaping the future of Ridley College and empowering our students to reach their full potential by providing them with the tools needed to flourish in the 21st century.

GROUP STUDY 3 199 SF

SF MEETING RM

ENSEMBLE/ RECORDING STUDIO

to our new Learning Commons. 2. The former Staples Pool, which will become our Creative Commons, a multidisciplinary space that will be the new home to our art classrooms, design technology, film, ceramics and other creative spaces. 3. The catwalk that overlooked the swimming pool will be transformed into an Art Gallery, which will directly overlook our new Creative Commons. 4. The new entrance to the Athletic Complex, home to our new Fitness Centre, change rooms, yoga studio, and squash courts. 5. The future site of five new competition-grade squash courts and a training area inside the Jack Aylott Squash Complex. 6. Our new Fitness Centre. 7. Renovations in progress in the Griffith Gymnasium.

LEARNING

5 6 7

gymnasium

4

The Ridley College MEMORIAL CHAPEL TURNS 100

BY ABBEY PALMER ‘24

The Ridley College Memorial Chapel has served the school as an entryway to faith, history and reflection for a full century. Many generations have felt or heard the same sentimental hymns of the choir, the school prayer, the remembrance of our war veterans, and the picturesque stained glasswork. Many have walked through the long transformative tunnel, connecting the Ridleians of today to those of the past. As we celebrate 100 years of our Chapel, we reflect on all that it means to multiple generations.

The Memorial Chapel’s design is credited to architects Ernest Ross Rolph and Henry Sproatt, who worked to create a school chapel that would last for future generations, as well as honour the Ridleian soldiers who died serving in World War I. The Chapel’s cornerstone was laid in June 1921, and its construction was completed two years later. The intent of the new Chapel was to spread the theme of service and sacrifice, representative of those who served in the war.

The Chapel was constructed of Georgetown stone, complete with more than nine stained glass windows, solid oak pews and decorative features. The honour roll of the 61 Old Boys who died is engraved on two stone walls that surround the reredos screen at the back of the altar. The reredos features biblical figures and saints surrounding Jesus Christ. One figure in the reredos wears a WWI uniform representing those the Memorial Chapel was built to honour. There are more than 30 plaques inside the Chapel and ten on the tunnel walls dedicated to fallen soldiers and Old Ridleians.

The Chapel is equipped with a sound system and a pipe organ. The acoustics in the Chapel are exceptional, creating an immersive auditory experience. The pipe organ is a Casavant Frères Opus 1099,

which has been updated and maintained since the opening of the Chapel. There have been a few physical changes over the years, the most notable being the addition of the Lady Chapel in 1964 due to an increase in enrollment. The Lady Chapel extension keeps the gothichistoric style while accommodating more seating.

The Rev. Dr. J.O. Miller, the school’s founding Headmaster, said at the Chapel's June 17, 1923 opening: “This Chapel compels us to be better people.” This theme has carried on through the past century to ensure all Ridleians feel they belong. Many Ridleians sense their own faith and reflection in this space. When visiting Ridley, alumni often go back to the Chapel first before anywhere else on the campus.

“It’s a place that unites all students and faculty on campus. We come here to listen and sing and reflect, sometimes cry, sometimes laugh. It’s a place where we get away from academics, athletics and all the pressures of the world,” Mike Moulden '70 explains.

“Whether someone is religious or atheist, it’s a place alumni gravitate towards. There just seems to be a serenity, a peace, where you go in and sit, and your mind takes you back,” he continues.

In the early days of the Chapel, Ridleians started each morning with a 15-minute service and ended each day there as well. There was a hymn, a homily, words of reflection, and a reading. On Sundays, there was a major service like the current Friday service. In the early days of Ridley, the boys would walk downtown to St. Thomas Church for Sunday service. But eventually, the church couldn’t hold all the students, so the service was moved to the Memorial Chapel.

Today, Ridleians attend Chapel three times a week—Lower and Middle School

students on Friday mornings and Upper School students on Monday and Friday afternoons. Each service consists of a Prefect or guest homily, speakers, hymns, as well as performances from students and the choir. The Headmaster, Ed Kidd, as well as Chapel Director, Ken Hutton, make announcements and discuss worldly happenings. Instead of short twice-daily gatherings as done in the past, there are longer services at the beginning and end of the week. While the Memorial Chapel doesn’t hold Sunday service anymore, the Chapel holds important services throughout the year, such as the Nine Lessons and Carols service.

“We talk about developing good habits of the mind, body and spirit, and we practise that on a regular basis,” Mr. Hutton explains.

The Chapel has undergone change; therefore, it may symbolize different things to people depending on which generation they visited or frequented. Ridley began as an Anglican school, and one change is that the school has become non-denominational; however, the Chapel still features Anglican hymns and verses, as well as teaches vital principles and values to guide students regardless of religion. This is a result of the more diverse and international student body with 55 different represented countries and cultures.

“The school became more diverse with a wide array of international students and varying religions. There was no way you would captivate between 600 and 700 students in the Chapel with one general theme of religion being Anglican,” says Mr. Moulden.

While it may be controversial to some that the Chapel has moved away from its Anglican focus, many believe it was a necessary change to keep a welcoming environment.

“Some people of the past might not particularly like that it’s not specifically Anglican anymore, but I think for today's world and for the multiculturalism that we have in Ridley, it’s very healthy for the student body and makes everyone feel they belong,” says school librarian, Anna Bright-Weber ’83.

For some, the Chapel is a symbol of family connection. “The Ridley College Memorial Chapel embodies the legacies of families that stretch across the globe. When I sing in the choir, my voice resonates not only for myself but also for my father, grandfather, siblings, extended family, former teachers, and friends who sang and led with immense passion, pride, and a profound connection to the school and its values. Today, the inclusivity of our services, regardless of religious affiliation, intertwines us with the spirit of our school and fosters a sense of camaraderie and peace,” says Ms. Bright-Weber.

The Chapel is seen as a safe space that brings the whole Ridley community together to reflect and digest the happenings of the world. Many Ridleians have seen the Chapel become a gathering place of hope in tragic times, such as the passing of a Ridley student or faculty member or an event or disaster.

"When the Twin Towers were attacked on 9/11, the school gathered for a service in the Chapel that afternoon to think of and pray for the safety of the alumni we knew

were living in New York City. That is a significant memory of mine," said former faculty member, Trish Loat.

Former Ridley chaplain, The Reverend Canon Dr. Gerald S. “Gerry” Shantz, died in 2018. Following his death, alumni came together to create a dedication for him. To the right of the main Chapel entrance is a garden in his memory, including a plaque and water fountain on the wall.

While the Chapel holds deep and reflective memories for many, there is always a place for humour at Ridley. Many have experienced light-hearted fun and a joke or two in this spiritual place.

“One time, the students wheeled a soda pop machine in and put it right at the top of the steps between the Chaplain and the Headmaster. Headmaster Jeremy Packard and Rev. Shantz were deciding what to do about that. The Headmaster decided to go along with the prank and asked for some coins, so before he sat down, he got himself a can of Coke,” former faculty member, Derek Dunkley '87 recalled. “It’s nice to see that those leading the school can take a joke.”

Some believe the Memorial Chapel may house the spirits of Old Ridleians. Some have even experienced potential paranormal activity themselves.

“There used to be an Altar Guild made up of Ridley wives, so half a dozen of us would look after the altar and

change the hangings on the altar for the church seasons,” says Mrs. Loat. “One night, I went over to the Chapel to help get ready for the service the next day. I turned the lights at the altar on, and a large whiff of white smoke came from the wall on the left-hand side, flew across the altar, and disappeared through the other wall. It was so vivid, like a ghost.”

Everything in the Memorial Chapel is dedicated to those who helped others. This key principle remains relevant to Ridley today. Students consume themselves in service through volunteering in the community and working towards the betterment of themselves to go out in the wider world and make a difference. The Old Ridleians who sacrificed their lives for us are role models for the community. The Chapel is still the heart of the campus, just as it was 100 years ago.

“The Chapel is the centre of the school; it’s a place for all of us to go. The Chapel is a place that represents service and sacrifice, which is important for all of us to carry through in our lives,” Mrs. Loat said.

The Ridleian Fund identifies projects and areas of need which will have the largest impact on our students— today and into the future. Your generous gift ensures we can continue to provide our students with a worldclass education and facilities.

Ridley College Alumni Survey

81.7% 91.3%

are PROUD or EXTREMELY PROUD of their connection to Ridley.

evaluated the level of academic preparation as GOOD or EXCELLENT.

85.9% 90.8%

felt that Ridley provided GOOD or EXCELLENT value for education.

evaluated the overall boarding experience as GOOD or EXCELLENT.

“I will always credit Ridley for being one of the most influential and important things in my life, and it will always have a special place for me.”

“I still consider my experience at Ridley as being a major factor in my success in business and living a happy life.”

93.7% 90.8%

were SATISFIED or EXTREMELY SATISFIED with the events they attended.

of current volunteers indicated they were SATISFIED or EXTREMELY SATISFIED with their volunteer role.

“I will always maintain a strong connection to Ridley. I feel I will always “return” to the school in some capacity, and I will always see it as having played an incredibly important role in my life.”

“Ridley provided me with a powerful set of rich and transformative experiences, a number of which continue to exert a meaningful influence on my personal and professional life.”

Donor Profile

NICKI AND RYAN SERRAVALLE Game Changers

In the heart of our vibrant community lies a school that stands as a testament to the power of transformative giving and the profound impact it can have on shaping young minds. Today, we embark on a journey to unravel the inspiring story behind two remarkable Ridley parents whose passion for education and unwavering generosity have forever changed the landscape of our school.

Nicki and Ryan Serravalle are two extraordinary individuals who have left an indelible mark on our community through their visionary leadership in the local real estate industry. Their ascent to success was not merely the result of their exceptional business acumen but also through their tremendous

generosity and commitment to creating sustainable communities—a testament to the profound influence of the generous donations that helped pave their paths.

Driven by a mutual passion for growth and leadership and a deep-rooted belief in the transformative power of education, the Serravalles have experienced firsthand how generous contributions can unlock the boundless potential within individuals and communities. Their personal journey is one defined by a relentless pursuit of excellence and a genuine desire to pay it forward, spurring them to embark on a philanthropic endeavour that would shape the future of Ridley education.

From humble origins growing up in nearby Thorold, Ryan Serravalle

had major athletic ambitions, which he backed up with his tremendous talent in his chosen sport—basketball. As a teenager, Ryan had many opportunities to showcase his prodigious skill, bringing home the gold with Team Ontario at age 16 and playing in high school all-star games organized by the Toronto Raptors association.

“I was in love with basketball. My dream was to get a Division I scholarship,” he explains.

Unfortunately, these ambitions were momentarily derailed in his senior year of high school when his father suffered a terrible accident that left him confined to a wheelchair. Placing basketball on the back burner for some time, he tended to his father and helped his family adjust to their

new reality when he was contacted by the head coach of Northfield Mount Hermon Prep School in Massachusetts, who, after seeing his tape, was determined to recruit him.

“At that point, I wasn’t in the mental state to leave my father,” he confesses.

After a difficult few months, he was contacted again by the school, which came back with a new offer—a oneyear scholarship and the opportunity to get his life and his grades back in order. This time he went and found that he had quickly worked his way up to team captain and landed a prestigious scholarship to the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA.

“I received a scholarship from a very generous donor. He donated a few million dollars to the campus and gave me the opportunity to fulfil my dream,” he says gratefully.

These incredible gestures of kindness were formative for him and provided access to a life that was previously unimaginable, fortifying a humility and kindness in him, along with an immense desire to pay it forward.

“It taught me the value of giving back and providing for those less fortunate—and especially for future generations,” he explains.

Shortly before departing for Europe where he would play professional ball for years after college, he crossed paths with Nicki, who would accompany him on this novel, lifechanging adventure.

A fellow Niagara native, Nicki was working in the banking industry before she decided she needed a change. After a short stint traversing the globe together, living a picturesque life in France, the two returned to Niagara and were married. Embracing her entrepreneurial spirit, Nicki opened a flower shop, The Flower House, which is still in operation today under different ownership.

"It was a great seven-year ride, and I loved so much about it. I was able to use my creativity with floral design and use my knowledge and passion for event planning. I took pride in the advice I offered people who trusted me with their floral creations, and I was named Top 40 Under 40,” she shares.

While studying to become a high school teacher, Ryan decided to take a detour and got his real estate licence, practising on the side while waiting for a permanent position with the school board. At some point, real

estate became a full-time job, and he has since never looked back.

Feeling unfulfilled at his brokerage, the pair concocted an idea that would change their lives forever. Within a year, Nicki sold her flower shop and got her real estate licence, and they began working on a new passion.

“Entrepreneurship and real estate are in our blood. Ryan’s parents came to Canada as immigrants with very little and created a beautiful business together, Thorold Auto Parts and Recycling. They purchased properties, sold properties, and managed their own company together,” Nicki explains.

“We are both entrepreneurs and never settle for standard in anything we do. We put our minds together and we created our own brand called Revel,” she continues.

Despite their incredible success as entrepreneurs and industry leaders, the two share a genuine love of giving back, along with a strong desire to build strong communities and empower great leaders who will transform our world for the better, and the two have done their very best to lead by example, both in business, at work and in the broader community.

While Revel supports a number of charitable ventures and initiatives throughout the year, one of the most significant is the company’s annual Charity Ball, an elegant, black-andwhite event replete with great music and Cirque du Soleiltype performances that provides much-needed funding for charities and social justice issues locally. Partnering with various organizations, Revel has contributed a great deal of support for those who are most marginalized by socioeconomic issues in the Niagara Region, and each year, they explain, presents a new challenge and a drive to do more.

The pair’s commitment to growth and empowerment also manifests in the form of several company-wide mentorship and educational initiatives, which Ryan likens to the great coaching he received in his professional basketball career. “Their goal, ultimately, was to empower strong leaders. To be a leader is not easy, and that's what we love about Ridley—it build leaders,” he explains.

As current parents of Leonardo ’29 and London ’33, the two have expressed great admiration for Ridley’s commitment to charity, service and leadership— indispensable values they wish to impart to their children and others. Ryan and Nicki’s transformative gift to The Campaign for Ridley will provide innumerable generations of Ridleians with the means to achieve their athletic dreams in our new, state-of-the-art facilities and touch the lives of thousands of current and future students.

“We want to give to people who we believe can make positive changes in the world, no matter where they end up in the world. We have two young children attending the school, and we’ve seen the maturity and the level of growth in their education, their respect, and their goals and ambitions. As a parent, it’s wonderful to witness that,” Ryan explains.

One of the most beloved assets of Ridley for the Serravalles is the Ridley College Family Guild and the extraordinarily

selfless work that our parents and alumni contribute to our school community. In their view, this vital work is essential to creating the community spirit, as well as the deep ties and lifelong relationships at the heart of the Ridley experience.

“I think they do an amazing job at bringing the Ridley community together. We love participating in and sponsoring these events, and we are always so fond of doing so. These individuals are working so hard, taking time out of their own schedules to provide a better community for Ridley and for the students, whether it’s Baking for Boarders, Purse Bingo, or the Christmas Market. It’s such a great way to bring the Ridley community together,” says Nicki.

“We were always told by our parents that it’s not enough for parents to raise a child, it takes a village to raise a child properly and to be involved with such a village of generous individuals contributes greatly to the growth of the students. It sets a great example to all the students, and it really brings all of us together with one purpose—to serve the future of our children,” Ryan adds.

The Serravalles’ heartfelt dedication to leaving an enduring legacy of knowledge, growth, and boundless possibilities is a beacon of hope, and their generosity is truly inspiring. Their story illuminates the transformative power of giving back and reminds us all of the incredible difference we can make when we dare to dream.

Their gift, they hope, will inspire other parents to leave a legacy at the school and support future generations of Ridleians. “I think that leaving a legacy behind for your children is so important, and I think it’s important for other Ridley parents to consider leaving a tiny piece of their legacy as well. It can have such a positive and important impact,” Nicki explains.

"It taught me the value of giving back and providing for those less fortunate—and especially for future generations."

Donor Profile

G. SCOTT PATERSON ‘82 Breaking Barriers

A prolific entrepreneur, financier investor, and philanthropist, G. Scott Paterson ’82 has shattered every obstacle in his way. From humble origins in St. Catharines, Scott's remarkable journey to the top of the Canadian business world has been driven by an intense drive for achievement and excellence fortified during his time at Ridley College.

In his 1998 book, Titans, legendary business journalist, Peter C. Newman called Scott Paterson a “one-man paradigm”—the most captivating member of the new cohort of investors taking over Canada’s financial markets and a role model for a new generation of money movers at the twilight of the last century.1 In the quarter century since its publication, Scott has unarguably fulfilled this

prophecy, reaching heights previously unimaginable through an unyielding spirit and indomitable work ethic. Unabated by the passage of time, his portfolio shows little sign of aging, while Scott himself expresses an unrelenting optimism about the future, which he hopes to pass on to the next generation of Ridleians aspiring to make their mark on the business world.

Over the last four decades, Scott has served in numerous roles and on many prestigious boards of directors in the media and technology sectors. He was named one of The Globe and Mail’s Top 40 Under 40 in 1999; he has been a TedTalk speaker; he was profiled in Time Magazine as “One of Canada's 21st Century Leaders” and in 2007 was named as “One of 17 People

to Watch Globally” by Newsweek. He was awarded Western University's top Alumni Purple and White Award and has been a keynote speaker on behalf of countless organizations, including Mastercard, EY Entrepreneur of the Year, and the National Angel Capital Organization. Today, Scott serves as executive chairman of FutureVault Inc., a Toronto-based information management company, and is involved in a number of ventures, including artificial intelligence, crypto and e-commerce. But prior to his ascension to the stars, he first had to defy the odds.

While Scott has been fortunate to have a degree of success, he is clear to point out that he also has “lots of scars on his back.” A precocious young man from a single-parent family, Scott

attended Ridley College for Grades 12 and 13 with the support of Ridley’s robust bursary programme. His mother, a local high school teacher, recognized the value of a Ridley education and made tremendous financial sacrifices so that he could realize his potential. Recognizing the profound impact his alma mater had on his life’s trajectory, Scott feels a deep sense of gratitude and a responsibility to contribute to the next generation of students.

“I was under the impression that only the rich and elite could go to Ridley,” he reflects, a common misconception he quickly overcame by flourishing at the school.

As a student, Scott played First Team Rugby and Second Team Hockey in Grade 12, although he explains that the absence of food fights in the Great Hall came as somewhat of a shock to him. “I’d come from a school where food fights were pretty much the norm during every lunch hour,” he laughs.

At the end of his first year at Ridley, his life was transformed for a second time when a peer informed him that then First Team Hockey coach Dennis Hull, brother of Hall of Famer Bobby, wanted to see him in his office. Initially fearing a prank, he marched to his office with equal parts trepidation and excitement, but his incredulity quickly gave way to glee.

Walking into Hull’s office, Scott recalls the conversation like it was yesterday. “You wanted to see me?” he asked. Then Dennis looked up at him and

said, “'I’m drafting you up to First Team Hockey.' It was one of the happiest days of my life at Ridley,” he reflects. This unforgettable experience would not be the end of Scott's hockey career at Ridley. 28 years later, he was selected to serve as captain of the alumni hockey team that faced off against several notable Buffalo Sabres alumni to open the renovated Tiger Arena, an experience he treats with equal gravity.

Following his departure from Ridley, Scott studied Economics at the University of Western Ontario, where he quickly began to establish a reputation for himself as a titan in training. He published a monthly newsletter, the “Paterson Investment Report,” which he sent to anyone willing to receive it, and earned valuable on-the-job experience working in capital markets during the summer.

At age 21, Scott took a job at Dominion Securities, where he earned the nickname the “Cold-Call Cowboy” and solidified his reputation as a master of the pitch. From 1995 until 2001, Scott served as CEO of Yorkton Securities, which he built into Canada's preeminent technology bank. He has served as Vice Chair of the Toronto Stock Exchange, Chair of the Venture Exchange, and a Governor of the Investment Dealers Association, and served on the Board of Directors for several public companies, including Lionsgate Entertainment and Symbility Solutions, which he co-founded with fellow Ridley alumnus James Swayze ’82.

While Scott credits his interest in the stock market to his maternal grandmother, who gifted him five shares of Abitibi Price Paper stock for his 14th birthday, he explains that his experiences at Ridley instilled in him the belief that the school not only provided a world-class education but also fostered a sense of ambition and achievement. “It’s the embedded expectation that if you go to the school, you intend to be someone who wants to achieve something in life,” he reflects. “Ridley set me up with the confidence to go out and succeed in the business world.”

Reflecting on his illustrious career, Scott understands that things could have turned out quite differently for him had he not been extended the opportunity to attend Ridley. As such, he has made it a lifelong mission to pay forward this priceless gift, devoting significant time and resources to ensuring that no child with promise is denied the opportunity to realize his or her true potential. In this spirit, Scott has dedicated himself to the noble cause of “levelling the playing field” by supporting promising students who would otherwise be deprived of such prospects due to financial constraints. Understanding deeply the transformative power of technology and education and the impact they can have on the lives of young people, he founded ComKids in 1998, a charity which provides brand-new laptops to financially disadvantaged children in eight Canadian provinces. As well, he donated to build the G. Scott Paterson Biotechnology Wing at Western’s Schulich School of Medicine.

Scott's unwavering commitment to ensuring that every child is afforded a fair chance to fulfill their potential has only served to strengthen his commitment to Ridley. He is the longest-serving Governor of Ridley College, celebrating 25 years in 2023. He has established two bursaries and has co-chaired both the school’s 125th Anniversary Campaign and the ongoing Campaign for Ridley alongside Georgina Black ’85 and Mike Stevens ’77.

Scott's dedication to the institutional mission of making education accessible to bright and ambitious students, regardless of their economic backgrounds, is a testament to the transformative power of Ridley and a point of pride for Scott personally, who believes that anyone willing to work hard deserves a shot at success.

“I’m very proud that approximately 50% of the kids who attend Ridley receive some form of financial aid and assistance. We don’t want to simply make the elite more elite— we want to give bright, aspiring kids that can be great leaders and change their own trajectory a shot at reaching their full potential and contributing to society,” he explains.

Scott's dedication to Ridley College is further exemplified by his involvement in The Campaign for Ridley, which aims to build state-of-the-art facilities that foster best-in-class learning environments for generations to come and attract aspiring students from all economic backgrounds. Beyond providing exceptional facilities for future generations of Ridleians, the campaign has highlighted the philanthropic nature of Ridley alumni and current parents, a point which Scott asserts should be considered among its many triumphs, and sends a powerful message about the importance of giving back to the next generation. While he credits the success of the current campaign to the visionary leadership of the campaign team, he acknowledges that much work remains to be done for the Campus Master Plan and encourages those with the means to pledge their support.

Scott's transformative gift to the campaign will leave a lasting legacy at the school. The Paterson Performance Hall, a vibrant centrepiece at the heart of the renovated Iggulden Building, promises to create extraordinary opportunities for student artists to showcase their talents and express their creativity. This tremendous act of generosity, which reflects Scott's unwavering belief in the power of a well-rounded education built on the three A’s—academics, athletics and the arts—will transform the learning landscape for generations of students like his daughter, Odessa ’24.

“I feel a great sense of pride that my daughter is attending Ridley. She is a bright young lady who is a great athlete as well. I was so pleased that she joined the field hockey team this year, and it was exciting to watch the team win the girls’ field hockey championship for the first time in 20 years,” he says.

“I was in Chapel with my daughter for the 100th anniversary celebration, and it warmed my heart to be there with her,” he continues.

When asked his advice to young Ridleians, he is direct, speaking with a rebellious and empowering optimism sorely needed in our challenging times. His message: the world’s in the best shape it’s ever been, and it’s only going to get better in ways we can’t even imagine, contrary to the pervasive belief of many ideologues.

“Don’t believe anyone who tells you that the world is going in the wrong direction. The world is actually in fantastic shape and getting better. There are lots of issues, but if you look closely, you will see that almost all challenges are trending in the right direction—and science and AI are going to solve so many issues,” he asserts confidently.

“My second piece of advice is not to be dogmatic about worldviews but to be open-minded with respect to understanding all sides of an issue,” he continues. “It’s no fun to be ideological to the point of not being open-minded. Those folks are going to miss the whole show.”

"Ridley set me up with the confidence to go out and succeed in the business world."

STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP TEAM

Ed Kidd, Headmaster

Bruno Petitti, Executive Director of Strategy & Innovation

Michele Bett, Deputy Head

Hanna Kidd, Director of Wellbeing

Pete Doyle, Director of Service Learning

Lance Postma, Assistant Head: Upper School

Michael Bett, Dean of Boarding

Ed Kidd, Headmaster

Andrea Nauf, Executive Director of Human Resources

Jay Tredway, Assistant Head: Co-curriculars & Community Connections

Melissa Stephens, Director of Strategic Communications & Marketing

STRATEGIC PRIORITY

Strategy Lead

Strategy Lead

A Learning Community

Flourishing Lives

Terar Dum Prosim

Innovation in Boarding

Innovation in Boarding

Global Ridley

Flourishing Workplace

Engage Niagara

Strengthening the Ridley Community

The Strategic Priorities for Ridley

In our second year of “Leading with Heart” the Ridley community has deepened its commitment to moving forward with our current Strategic Priorities.

5 YEARS Strategic Plan Duration

2023-2026

8

Strategic Priorities

38 GOALS

55 102

Action Steps Completed Action Steps In Progress

STRATEGIES HIGHLIGHTS

HIGHLIGHTS

Created a new “Life Examined” interdisciplinary course for Grade 12 students. This course equips students with skills and knowledge to solve problems, make decisions, create personal meaning, and present findings beyond the scope of a single subject or discipline.

Collaborated with Jillian Dowling from SleepWise to educate students and faculty on building healthy sleep habits. Additionally, a 4-week partnership was established for Grades 7-12, leading to the development of personalized sleep plans for each student.

The inaugural Terar Dum Prosim event was held in March and recognized students, faculty, staff, alumni, and parents who have made significant contributions to their communities. This will continue to be an annual event.

The Campus Master Plan refresh began in April, focusing on creating social spaces that promote student engagement and a vibrant campus life. Customized Ridley Muskoka chairs will be placed in key spaces around campus.

The Campus Master Plan refresh began in April, focusing on creating social spaces that promote student engagement and a vibrant campus life. Customized Ridley Muskoka chairs will be placed in key spaces around campus.

Developed and implemented an audit process to collect data on global competency in curricular, co-curricular, residential life, and events. This will allow us to assess current practices and identify areas for improvement in promoting global awareness and understanding.

Developed and implemented an audit process to collect data on global competency in curricular, co-curricular, residential life, and events. This will allow us to assess current practices and identify areas for improvement in promoting global awareness and understanding.

Created a Sustainability Master Plan incorporating the Vision Level 1 Climate Action Plan. This marks a significant step towards addressing climate-related challenges and achieving environmental goals by outlining actionable steps for regenerative practices and initiatives.

Our collaboration with Sport Niagara has expanded to create partnerships with Niagara Public Health and Brock University, establishing us as a key member in regional community development efforts leveraging physical activity and sport.

An enhanced social media strategy was implemented, resulting in a significant increase in engagement from our audiences. This fall, we will transition the Alumni Facebook page into a group to allow users to share their own content, creating a deeper sense of community and connection amongst alumni.

Terar Dum Prosim

@ alumniwork

Embark on a captivating journey through the remarkable achievements of our esteemed alumni. In this issue, we delve into the groundbreaking endeavours of two exceptional individuals who share their inspiring stories and the transformative impact they are making in their respective fields.

CATHERINE MAROT ‘13

PLASTIC MATTERS

Ridley alumna, Catherine Marot ’13, is changing the world. Through her innovative ideas and relentless dedication, Catherine has managed to turn her passion for sustainability and the environment into a successful business venture in only a few short years as the CEO of CASE, a Toronto-based start-up focused on recycling single-use plastic takeout containers.

Since 2018, CASE has saved more than 400,000 plastic takeout containers from landfill in the Greater Toronto Area. What began as a solo effort has evolved into a colossal ambition to revolutionize Canada’s recycling ecosystem, one takeout container at a time.

Today, CASE has expanded into collection, pickups and impact reporting, sorting, sanitation and reuse, and end-of-life recycling, and its operations continue to grow each day, both in visibility and scale, while retaining its singular focus on black plastic polypropylene, a controversial material within the recycling world. In November 2022, Catherine was named to Corporate Knights’ list of Canada’s Top 30 Under 30 Sustainability Leaders for her contributions to combatting our global climate crisis, and her work has been covered by an array of mainstream media outlets, including the CBC and The Toronto Star

Looking back on her time as a student, she reflects fondly on the many opportunities she fearlessly seized upon at Ridley and the ways that her curiosity and drive were nurtured and fortified, both within and beyond the Marriott Gates.

“It was so cool to try so many things at Ridley,” she reflects. “They never held me back when I wanted to

do something. You’re trained to go out and make a difference, to be a leader.”

As a child, Catherine grew up in the Greater Toronto Area. The daughter of immigrants from Zimbabwe and South Africa, she travelled frequently as a child, which she credits with helping her to develop an international perspective. In 2013, she came to Ridley as a boarder, which further nourished this perspective by providing opportunities to interact with different cultures and befriend students from across the globe, many of whom she remains in touch with today.

She remembers fondly, in particular, the camaraderie shared among her housemates in Gooderham West.

“I’m still in touch with my friends from Ridley to this day. Your friends felt like your sisters. You could hang out with them any time of the day. I loved it. You always had people in your corner,” she says emphatically.

Taking advantage of every opportunity, she embraced the frenetic pace of life at the school. “I played field hockey and tennis, I did Cadets and Duke of Edinburgh. I tried everything,” she explains. “That’s what I liked about the Ridley experience—you could literally do anything.”

After graduating from Ridley in 2013, she studied International Relations at the University of Ottawa in

hopes of doing something she loved and travelling the world. At this time, sustainability and environmentalism were only peripheral interests, not viable career paths in her eyes, yet she found herself driven by an impetus to change the world.

After a short stint at a medical non-profit in the United States, she returned to Canada after graduation and accepted a clerical position at a boutique executive search firm in Toronto. Her experience here was formative—it set her sights on the C-level and introduced her to start-up culture. But shortly after settling into life in the city, a shattering, unanticipated event would alter her course significantly—her friend and roommate was seriously injured while cycling and was in a coma for two and a half months.

“It was a pretty dark time. My life was on pause. I realized life could be taken from you at any moment,” she says solemnly. “But then I thought, if the most cruel thing could happen, then what is stopping really amazing things from happening, too? Realizing you could have both ends of the spectrum in life somehow made it more real.”

Travelling back and forth to the hospital daily while trying to process the complex emotions she was feeling, she remained hopeful against all odds. However, in the interim, she noticed something else that was slightly alarming—executives and white-collar workers in downtown Toronto eat an awful lot of takeout meals.

“No one in Toronto packs a lunch. They get takeout every day,” Catherine explains. “I saw how many takeout containers my colleagues would go through, and then they’d toss them in the garbage because Toronto doesn’t recycle black plastic. So, I would put them in the dishwasher at the office, and we started to reuse them.”

The following summer, a student intern asked her a powerful question: What’s the point?, which got her thinking: “It’s naive to think that everybody will use reusables. But what if we could have a reuse scheme that

was easy for people?” At this moment, it became clear what had to be done.

In the beginning, Catherine set out with the modest goal of getting the PATH, Toronto’s Downtown Pedestrian Walkway, to use reusable containers. Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, she ramped up operations, creating an app that allowed users to select reusables on platforms like Uber Eats when ordering from local restaurants.

Following this initial success, CASE began to expand further, supplying reusable containers to Toronto restaurants and setting up collection bins across the city. “People would drop off their containers, we’d sanitize them, and then sell them back to the restaurants. This was, I believe, our fifth iteration, but that one took off like a rocket ship,” she reflects. As she continued to delve further into the reality of the situation, however, she made some startling revelations.

“I discovered that all of these takeout containers are made with the same type of plastic polypropylene, which has a 1.4% recycling rate in Canada. Toronto is one of the few cities that has come out and said they don’t recycle black plastic, but across the board, no one recycles black plastic because it’s not profitable for Canada’s recycling oligopolies,” she says assertively.

Catherine has spent the last three years researching the issues and solutions on the horizon, which has influenced the shape of CASE’s business model. “The aim is to lower our carbon emissions, which CASE approaches twofold: we’re lowering our carbon emissions, but we’re also reducing landfill waste, which has other externalities on pollutants and things like that,” she explains.

“From an infrastructure perspective, we have a terrible waste hauling and recycling system in Canada,” she continues. “The [recycling] rate in 2019 was 19% for all plastics. How do you even call it recycling if you have an 81% sent-to-landfill rate? So, the idea with CASE

Just go for it—and don't

far as you think.

essentially is to create this much needed recycling infrastructure.”

Catherine hopes to be part of the solution, demonstrating both the urgency of swift action and the plentiful opportunities for dynamic business solutions and growth in the recycling space in equal measure. Today, the company continues to expand into shredding and palletizing takeout containers, which they sell back to local manufacturers in Ontario for reuse.

With CASE, Catherine hopes to lead by example, reminding us that we are not powerless in the face of climate change and climate anxiety. Instead, she opts to inspire change at both an individual and structural level, suggesting that we can overcome this problem together as a society and that

businesses have a particularly important role to play in this mission.

“There’s a problem right now, and it’s big enough to build a business upon. We have chief sustainability officers now, which was unthinkable 20 years ago,” she explains. “I think it just takes businesses building really smart, convenient solutions for people to adopt without much change to their daily lives.”

The rapid uptake and success of CASE’s services appear as evidence of such a desire to effect change in the world. “We’ve now recycled over 400,000 takeout containers. People are starting to become more aware, and when companies like CASE lead the charge, I think that can be really inspiring for a lot of people,” she explains. “If

a company is going to commit themselves to this, then I can also make that commitment in my personal life.”

When asked what advice she has for young Ridleians, she draws on her fellow alumni for inspiration. “Oh my gosh. I love the parting advice that Perry Nitsopoulous ['95] shared in the Fall 2022 issue. We need more people starting businesses. Just go for it—and don’t be afraid to take risks,” she says.

“You’re not going to fall as far as you think,” she continues. “And anyway, you’re young. The world is your oyster, so take those risks and do those things that are scary and feel way out of your wheelhouse. There’s really no downside to trying things.”

be afraid to take risks. You're not going to fall as

UNLOCKING THE FUTURE

In the last ten years, Aaron Brindle ’94 has enjoyed a front-row seat to Canada’s artificial intelligence boom, working closely with the innovators behind the disruptive technologies that are transforming our lives, our economies, and our world. Driven by passion, deep curiosity, and a commitment to responsible AI deployment, Aaron is helping shape the future of AI at home and abroad, inspiring the next generation of innovators to embrace its myriad possibilities.

At the juncture between artificial intelligence and entrepreneurship in Canada, you will find Aaron Brindle ’94. Formerly Head of Public Affairs at Google Canada and a journalist for CBC, Aaron is now a partner at Radical Ventures, a Toronto-based AI venture capital fund committed to unlocking the transformational power of AI across a range of fields, including healthcare, finance, infrastructure, and manufacturing. Reflecting on his journey, Aaron credits his education at Ridley with cementing in him an unyielding passion, creativity, and drive—virtues that have taken him through many exciting pathways in his lifetime.

Aaron came to Ridley in Grade 7 as a day student. Like so many others, he found an outlet in a plethora of activities at Ridley, finding solace and structure in theatre, music, and sport. It was these formative experiences that would later fuel his lifelong pursuit of creativity and learning.

“My parents recognized that I had a lot of energy, and I think they were excited to put me in a school that had a bit more structure,” he explains.

By the end of his Ridley career, he had done it all. He had been a Prefect, sergeant major of the Cadet band, acted in musicals, and played on the hockey, soccer, and lacrosse teams, which, he explains, endowed him with

a kind of “amateur enthusiasm,” a passion for trying out new things that has guided him in his many endeavours beyond the Marriott Gates.

Following his graduation from Ridley in 1994, Aaron pursued a degree at McGill University, where he delved into historical research and developed an interest in journalism and documentary-making. Shortly after completing his programme and finding himself with a surplus of free time while working for a software company, he decided to turn his honours thesis—a series of recordings with individuals who had immigrated to Canada during the Second World War, made on an old reel-to-reel tape recorder—into a radio documentary for the CBC, which got him in the door at the broadcaster. Fuelled by his passion, he ventured into the world of media, where he worked mostly as a writer, documentary editor, and producer. Today, he has a number of credits under his belt, most notably as a co-creator and founding producer of The Current and as a writer on the CBS-CTV police procedural television series, Flashpoint

Looking for a change, he joined Google in 2011, where he served as Head of Public Affairs for nearly a decade. At the time, the company was just beginning to build a presence in Canada. “[My role] was to help Canadians

understand the company’s work in Canada and the function of its products, which included, in some cases, working with policymakers,” he explains.

At Google, he engaged in what the company calls “20 per cent projects”—incentives to spend up to 20 per cent of his paid work time pursuing unique self-directed projects. One of the most fulfilling and ambitious of these was an expedition to map out Canada’s underrepresented High Arctic, travelling to the vast corners of the country to work with indigenous communities in Iqaluit, Churchill, Cambridge Bay, and Sanikiluaq, which had been overlooked by Google’s mapping engineers.

“It was an interesting side hustle,” he laughs.

At the turn of the decade, Canada was a hotbed of AI talent due in large part to significant government funding and growing private investment in AI research. In 2012, a fortuitous encounter with Dr. Geoffrey Hinton, the renowned "godfather of AI" who was spearheading the Google Brain team in Toronto, sparked Aaron's journey into the exciting world of artificial intelligence.

“Geoff Hinton is a pioneer of AI and is widely credited as the founder of something called deep learning, which is the architecture that underpins modern-day AI systems. I worked extremely closely with him and, as a result, became connected to the burgeoning AI ecosystem in Canada,” he explains.

During this transformative period, Jordan Jacobs, co-founder of the AI venture fund Radical Ventures, approached Aaron with a partnership opportunity, which he happily accepted. Recognizing this immense opportunity, Aaron rekindled his enthusiasm for learning, taking up his new role at the heart of the AI industry.

At Radical Ventures, Aaron has witnessed firsthand the immense potential of AI and its application in tackling

humanity's most pressing challenges, from healthcare to climate change.

“I think it's really important that we don't lose sight of the incredible potential that this technology is providing today. We work closely with companies that are, using AI to tackle cancer, to build artificial human tissue, to cure diabetes and liver disease, and mitigate the effects of climate change,” he explains.

A recent example, currently top of mind, he explains, provides a glimpse into the massive power and potential of these technologies. “ChatGPT gave the world an incredible demo of AI's capabilities. There's an old trope in software sales that a good demo sells software. This is one of the most powerful demos that’s ever been produced,” he explains.

Still, he emphasizes that if we are truly going to unlock the latent potential of AI technologies, it is essential that we remain cognizant of the challenges that AI can present as well, which necessitates creating responsible frameworks and timely regulations.

“These systems can reflect our inherent biases as humans, which can be reflected back in the actions that these technologies take. We recognize that there’s a tremendous responsibility, not only for the people creating this technology but also for the folks who are investing in it as well,” he explains.

As part of their commitment to ethical deployment, all companies who partner with Radical Ventures are required to sign a term sheet at the beginning of their arrangement that stipulates their commitment to building responsible technologies aligned with an established ethical framework.

Looking to the future, Aaron sees Canada as uniquely positioned to seize the immense opportunities presented by AI technologies. By embracing responsible

deployment, nurturing talent, and supporting workforce transitions, Canada, he claims, can harness the potential of AI to drive economic growth and improve lives.

“Over the next decade, I believe virtually all software will be replaced by artificial intelligence. The implications for our world, for our economy, for government, and for society is profound, and we need to collectively brace ourselves for this paradigm shift,” he says.

While recognizing the disruptive nature of AI, he believes that it will augment rather than replace jobs, increasing efficiencies across a spectrum of industries. However, he emphasizes that it is crucial for individuals to embrace and harness the power of these technologies rather than capitulate to fear.

“Governments need to be aware that there will be transitions as businesses pivot to this technology, and we need to incentivize businesses to ensure that they’re taking care of their workers and that there's a capacity for people to learn new skills and to incorporate this technology,” he says.

At the moment, AI is also transforming education for better and for worse. In France and across the United States, a number of universities have crafted policies banning the use of ChatGPT, citing plagiarism concerns, and educators, politicians, and thinkers have responded in a myriad of ways to AI’s specific role in the future of education.

“I think teachers are very concerned about students going home and using this technology

without learning the appropriate analytical skills—the skills that I really valued when I was going through school. It is crucial [that students] learn these critical analytical skills. They are the fundamental building blocks of education,” he explains. These technologies, he explains, can enhance the fundamentals but are by no means a substitution for them. As such, he states emphatically that teachers must create a learning environment where students can develop their critical faculties without technological augmentation.

“The analogy here is that a calculator is not much good if you don't understand the question that you're trying to solve. That's not to say there won't be a time and place for using this technology. but it would be a shame for something like ChatGPT to replace the strong analytical skills that we expect our students to learn in high school,” he says.

When asked about his advice for young Ridleians entering higher education and the workforce, he reiterates the value of entrepreneurial thinking and encourages students to “strengthen their entrepreneurial muscles” by leveraging existing technologies to pursue their passions and create meaningful change in the world.

“There's no better time to be an entrepreneur. I think entrepreneurial thinking is a more sophisticated way of expressing my lifelong amateur enthusiasm. It’s a similar mindset,” he says.

“From coding to marketing collateral, Generative AI is

lowering the barrier to entry for entrepreneurs. Enterprises that would've taken literally dozens of people can now be built in a weekend with some prompts and without a lot of technical awareness,” he continues.

“Students graduating from Ridley today are entering a world where technology could really open up incredible opportunities in every imaginable industry thanks to technologies like AI.”

CLASS NOTES

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Share a few short words with your fellow Old Ridleians about important milestones, career moves or philanthropic endeavours. Please include your full name and the year you graduated from Ridley.

1950s

Ian Wood '53, and his wife, Barbara, were joined by their extended family at Club Med in Cancun, Mexico to celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary. Present were their six children, 23 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren, who arrived from Australia, South Africa, England, South Korea, the United States, and Canada for the weeklong festivities.

1960s

David Dodge '61 appeared on several media outlets, including BNN Bloomberg, after his report from Bennett Jones about the financial forecast was released.

Tony Partington '65 released a new book, Hodden Grey: From Scottish Homespun to Modern Battledress.

1970s

Mike Moulden '70, his son, Shawn Moulden '01, and his granddaughter ran their first race together at Hamilton's Road to Hope Marathon on November 5th, 2022.

Sir John Bell ‘71, Regius Professor of Medicine at the University of Oxford, was appointed a Companion of Honour (CH) in the 2023 King’s Birthday Honours list.

Bill Verity '71 raced in the 2023 World Indoor Rowing Championships and finished 5th in the Men’s 70+ division.

Mike Hazell '74 was inducted into the University of Waterloo Sports Hall of Fame on October 1st, 2022 for his rugby and tennis achievements.

High resolution images (300dpi, 2MB minimum) are welcome to accompany your Class Note.

SEND TO: development@ridleycollege.com

Bruce Croxon '79, co-founder of Round13 Capital, announced a successful first close of $200 million for the company’s Fund III. The fund will invest in a range of venture and growth-stage equity investments in the Canadian technology ecosystem, with hold periods of five to 10 years.

1980s

Jason Dorland '83 released his third book and first novel, IKE: the dog who saved a human, now available in paperback at local bookstores and at www.lovereadingike.com.

Douglas Mason '84 has returned safely from Ukraine where he was covering the war for South African and Canadian news publications. In addition to freelancing as a writer, he is the owner of a wine bar, The Service Station, which won a wine award in its first year of operation, and a furniture company, The Free State Design Company. He recently scored his first goal with his polo club in South Africa.

Michele-Elise Burnett '86 was honoured at the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce’s 22nd annual International Women’s Day celebration, where she was the recipient of the prestigious Women in Niagara Council’s International Women’s Day Award.

Steven Laine ’94 returned to London, England to take on the role of Hotel Manager at the historic Landmark London Hotel in Marylebone. He looks forward to meeting ORs visiting London and invites any new ORs interested in a career in the restaurant, hotel, and/or resort industry to contact him.

2000s

Ransom Hawley '04 was named one of The Peak’s 2023 Emerging Leaders. The list recognizes up-and-coming leaders under 40 who are shaping Canada’s economy, culture and society. Ransom founded Caddle, a data insight platform and consumer research firm based in St. Catharines.

Ryan Forde '06 was recently named the CEO of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association.

Jason Hubbell '06 has joined Open Access Limited as VP of Sales, Group Retirement and Pension Solutions. He and Evan Smith '07 organized a Movember Polar Bear Dip on November 27th, 2022. The pair were interviewed about the event by City News.

Jan Philip Bernius '13 graduated with his Doctorate of Natural Sciences, Computer Science, from the Technical University of Munich.

Bronwyn Fischer '13 has written her first novel, The Adult, which was released on May 23rd, 2023. The book is available for order through Amazon, Indigo, and Another Story Books, as well as through Amazon and Barnes and Noble internationally.

Luis Lopez '13 started a new position as Lead Advance, Office of the Leader of the Official Opposition, at the House of Commons of Canada in Ottawa.

Matthew Cairns ’14 was featured as one of The Globe and Mail’s “Seven Canadian opera stars to watch” in 2022. Matthew was one of six Grand Finals Winners at the 2022 Metropolitan Opera Eric and Dominique Laffont Competition and sang the role of "Macduff" in the Canadian Opera Company’s production of Verdi’s Macbeth this spring.

Nadine Karachi-Estrada '87 was joined by 30 Ridleians for her birthday in Mexico City in February 2023.

1990s

Lee (Embree) Stanfield '90 recently joined Deloitte as a Partner, HR Transformation, in Calgary, Alberta.

Paul Kundrat '92 returned to Ridley in January 2023 to engage our Grade 9 and 10 students and open their eyes and minds to a career in the construction industry.

Ryan Cipolla '94 was among those named to Wealth Professional’s Top 50 Best Wealth Management Wholesalers in Canada.

Chiu-Hao (Ted) Chen '08 was one of the recipients of this year's Gen.T X Credit Suisse Social Impact Awards. Ted is the co-founder and CEO of Evercomm, an energy IoT company that leverages the power of technology to lessen the burden on the climate, adopting a data-driven approach to improve businesses’ energy and operational efficiency.

Margaret Coons '08 received the Young Alumni Award from Huron University College. She was also named one of 2023's Top 25 Women of Influence, an accolade which celebrates women who have made significant contributions to their respective fields. Margaret is the founder and CEO of Nuts for Cheese, a leader in the plant-based food industry. Will Curtosi '10 has obtained a new designation, Trust and Estate Practitioner, from the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (Canada).

Carter Filion '15 was cheered on at his Brock University rugby game by members of the Class of 2015 who were in town for their reunion.

Jan Kwan ’15 presented his research, “Biomechanical and geometrical solutions to abutment screw fractures in a screw-retained FDP,” at the 2022 European Academy of Osseointegration Congress in Geneva, Switzerland.

Daniela Ledesma Lopez '17 started a new position as Associate Project Manager at C.H. Robinson, Mexico.

Trinity Russell ’17 completed her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine at Ross University and finished her clinical rotations at the Royal College of Veterinary Medicine in London, England.

David Xue '17 graduated from the University of Oxford with a Master of Science in Financial Economics.

David Akinyemi '18 graduated from Ontario Tech University in April 2023 with a Bachelor of Engineering, Mechatronics, and is looking for a job in the entertainment industry, sound/ music engineering and production, project management, or other engineering roles.

Brittany Ng '18 participated in the Hockey Helps the Homeless Bay Street Tournament to raise awareness and funding for Eva's Initiatives, a local youth support agency in Toronto, alongside ex-Toronto Maple Leafs captain Rick Vaive and former Team USA player Megan Bozak.

Tolu Wright '18 graduated from the University of Waterloo and was named Class Valedictorian for the Faculty of Engineering.

BIRTHS & MARRIAGES

Keddy Chandran ’03 and his wife, Meghan, welcomed Indie Soleil Chandran on August 29th, 2022.

Cate Stratton '05 and her husband, Stephen, welcomed Samantha Hope Rice on September 2nd, 2022.

Taylor Moulden, daughter of Christa Moulden '98 and granddaughter of Mike '70 and Karen Moulden, welcomed Cassia Christa Carroll on October 25th, 2022.

Ellen (Went) Stevens ‘07 and her husband, Alexander, welcomed Henry Roger Stevens on October 19th, 2022.

Walt McIlhone '05 married his wife, Emma, on January 21st, 2023 in Victoria, British Columbia.

Erik Sherman '03 and his wife, Robbyn, welcomed a daughter, Harley Walsh Sherman on April 15th, 2023.

Vida Han '19 recently graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Columbia University, where she was a member of the GS Honour Society.

Ben Mandigo '19 was one of ten recipients of the "Futures Fund Scholarship,” which honours Canadian university business students who have demonstrated exemplary leadership in their academic and extracurricular initiatives.

Jerry Chen '20 has accepted a position as Associate CE Engineer/ Analyst at FedEx.

Lauren Clarke '20 has joined Veolia Water Technologies as an Applications and Process Engineering Intern for 16 months.

Steven Qi '20 went to the World Bank Youth Summit as a delegate to provide local solutions to global challenges in June 2023.

Niko Schramm '20 completed an internship with KPMG during the winter semester.

Olivia Grubic '21 participated in the Queen’s Case Competition at the Queen's University’s Smith School of Business. She and her team won first place in the daytime case, first in the overnight case and first in the overall competition.

Erin O'Rourke '11 married her husband, Kevin Berk, on July 1st, 2023 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

FACULTY & STAFF NOTES

Jenna Cameron and Derek Stephenson welcomed Theodore (Theo) CameronStephenson on January 29th, 2023.

Zachary Jones and his wife, Taylor, welcomed Logan Rae Jones on March 11th, 2023.

Carla Vizzari and her husband, Chris, welcomed Anthony Michael Vizzari on March 12th, 2023.

Melanie Williams married her husband, Rudy Doerwald, on April 15th, 2023 in Queenston, Ontario.

Alex (Little) ‘03 and Lachlan Macintosh welcomed Katherine (Kit) Alexandra Maeve Macintosh on May 15th, 2023.

Giancarlo Pavan married his wife, Laurel, on Saturday, May 27th, 2023 in Jordan Station, Ontario.

HAPPY RETIREMENT

We extend our best wishes and gratitude to our retirees, Derek Dunkley ’87, Henri Adamowski and Vinitha Kahandaliyanage.

Derek Dunkley has a long-standing history with Ridley College. He attended Ridley as a student and graduated in 1987. He returned to the school in 1991 to serve as a member of the Upper School faculty. Derek taught Economics and IB History and served as Head of the History Department until 2014. In addition to his achievements in teaching, Derek was very active in co-curriculars including as an Advisor in Arthur Bishop East, organizing Vimy Foundation trips and several Career Days. Throughout his career, Derek also coached Ridley to championships in Football, Ice Hockey, Boys Softball and most recently, Senior Co-Ed Badminton. His love for sport carries over with his colleagues as well, with Derek organizing employee pick-up hockey for many years. We thank Derek for his 32 years of service.

Prior to coming to Ridley, Henri Adamowski had a 30-year career driving buses and streetcars for the TTC in Toronto. He accepted the position of bus driver at Ridley, and it was a natural transition into a post-retirement part-time position. Henri has spent 14 years driving our students anywhere and everywhere. He is always a friendly and positive presence. While he is thankful for the memories and will miss the

OBITUARIES

J. Michael Rountree '46 died October 12th, 2022.

Arthur Charlton '49 died February 11th, 2023, at age 92.

Harry Woggon '51 died November 26th, 2022, at age 90.

Ian Colston '52 died January 8th, 2023, at age 88.

James Conklin '52 died March 22nd, 2023, at age 89.

Robert J. Leach '53 died May 21st, 2021, at age 86.

Thomas Kirkpatrick ’55 died April 19th, 2023, at age 87.

William Sears '58 died on January 11th, 2023, at age 83. Bill attended Ridley as a student from 19551958 and served the school for an additional 11 years as an ex-officio

staff and students very much, it is time for him to move into full retirement. Henri is looking forward to serving his community in a different way at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Legion. We thank Henri for his 14 years of service.

Vinitha Kahandaliyanage started her journey here as a Ridley parent with sons, Karl ’91, Shawn ’96 and Stefan ’00 all attending. She volunteered in the school store as a member of the Family Guild and enjoyed being part of the Ridley community, providing summer coverage at the reception desk and casual coverage for the mailroom/porter position while working as a Personal Support Worker at nursing homes in the area. Her willingness to drop whatever she was doing and come in to cover when someone was sick was greatly appreciated. In 2016, she took on her current role, job-sharing the reception position with Catherine Burke. Vinitha has enjoyed her role interacting with all of the students, staff, and parents of Ridley. She loves to travel and visit with her grandchildren, which she will be doing more of in retirement. We thank Vinitha for her 24 years of service. Congratulations to all of our retirees! We wish you all the best as you begin this exciting new chapter.

Board Member from 1991-1992, a Board Member from 1994-2001, and Vice-President of the Board from 2001-2004.

Geoffrey Stevens '58 died June 18, 2023, at age 83.

Peter Herrndorf '59 died February 18th, 2023, at age 82.

Gordon Wilson ’60 died October 26th, 2022, at age 81.

Norman Embree '62 died February 3rd, 2023, at age 79.

Antony Carson '63 died March 10th, 2023, at age 79.

John King '63 died March 15th, 2023, at age 79.

Patrick McMahon '65 died May 20th, 2023, at age 76.

Craig Scott '67 died April 10th, 2023, at age 75.

David Cox '68 died February 21st, 2023, at age 74.

Drew Ogilvie '68 died February 21st, 2023, at age 74.

Christopher Young '78 died February 22nd, 2023, at age 63.

Andrew Davidson '91 died January 26th, 2023, at age 51.

Ruth Henderson, former school nurse, died April 15th, 2023, at age 72.

Eleanor Dorland, wife of former faculty member Carl Dorland, died May 23, 2023, at age 97.

Celebrating a Century of Excellence: Remembering the Second Century Campaign

By Tyler Adair

In 1989, the Ridley College community gathered to celebrate the centenary of our beloved school. To commemorate this remarkable milestone—100 years of academic excellence —a capital campaign was launched to triple the school’s endowment and construct a new building on the west side of campus, which would be appropriately called the Second Century Building, now familiarly known as 2CB.

This new building would be a symbol of Ridley’s tremendous progress over the preceding decades the enhancement of academic programmes, the foundation of a dynamic arts programme, and the bolstering of enrollment, as well as more than a decade of co-education that would bring the school into the modern age and cement its place as a leader in independent education in Canada. The momentum of this campaign was sustained by great enthusiasm in the community— legions of supporters who were guided by an unwavering faith in the school, its faculty, and its students as well through passionate leadership whose efforts achieved a remarkable feat never before witnessed in the history of our school.

In the 2023-2024 academic year, the Second Century Building will take on a new life as the home of Ridley College’s new Middle School, the first of its kind in Ontario. In anticipation of this great transition, we reflect on the historic Second Century Campaign and the construction of 2CB, remembering the indispensable role it has played in the life and vibrance of our flourishing campus over the last 30 years while envisioning the boundless possibilities that lie ahead.

By 1980, the Ridley community was gripped by excitement for the school’s centenary, although no plans were firmly set in place. In the spring of 1981, the Board of Governors, along with

the school's new Headmaster, H. Jeremy Packard, began plotting; however, it was not until later that year when Dr. Donald McFarlane stepped into the role of Board Chairman that any significant progress was made.

Following his appointment in November 1981, Dr. McFarlane, in turn, appointed Leighton McCarthy '62 as Chairman of the 100th Anniversary Committee and tasked him with laying the foundations of the campaign. Among these duties was seeking out a worthy campaign chairman, one capable of sustaining and channelling this considerable enthusiasm into something truly monumental, which he eventually found in W. Darcy McKeough '51. McKeough’s business acumen and strong political reputation, along with his determination and fierce loyalty to Ridley, made him an obvious candidate for the position, and without his hard work and visionary leadership throughout the next six years, the campaign surely would not have been possible. With a team of confident campaign leaders by his side—Honorary Chairman, D.G. Willmot, ViceChairman, George Irwin '69, Honorary Vice-Chairpersons, Dorothy Doolittle, Denis Evans and Hubert T. “T” Mandeville '40 and Honorary Treasurer, Robert Korthals '50, along with Board leaders, Jim McConnell '31, Bob Stevens '44, Mac Irwin '46 and, of course, Don McFarlane—the venture could not possibly fail.

While the original fundraising target of $10 million was certainly ambitious, particularly in the difficult economic climate of the 1980s, a series of fortunes befell them, and it quickly became abundantly clear that fate was on Ridley’s side. The first of these came from Frederick K. Asbaugh OR '22, former Steel Comptroller for Canada during WWII and Lake Erie Tobacco Company magnate, who made more than a million dollars available for the campaign prior to its official kickoff. The following year, a transformational gift—the second largest ever at the time —was made by "T" Mandeville and his Mandeville Family Foundation.

In August 1983, the first campaign meeting was held, and the campaign officially kicked off in October of that year. The

following April, a two-day conference was held to reflect on Ridley’s enrollment and academic programmes and the specific needs the school was facing in the face of a changing academic landscape. Not only did this produce the effect of inspiring many within the school community to take a more active interest in the future of the school, but also facilitated and began to carve out concrete recommendations for new science, computer, and humanities specifically arts—facilities that would live in the new Second Century Building.

After much planning and fundraising, the building concept was approved by the Board in 1985, and Moffatt Kinoshita Architects and Newman Brothers Construction were commissioned to bring this vision to life on the west road of campus. Still, there remained much fundraising work to do, as the Board was determined to raise an equal amount for building and maintenance and scholarships, bursaries, and faculty development a total goal of $12 million. In the fall of 1986, McKeough and his wife, Joyce, along with Headmaster Packard, Director of Development, Bob Stanley and his wife, Pat, and Development Officer, Virginia Medland, launched a series of “kick-offs” across the country. The events officially “kicked off” in Hamilton that September and continued across the continent, finding support from passionate alumni who were enthusiastic about helping Ridley enter its second century.

Construction on the Second Century Building commenced in the summer of 1987, and a groundbreaking ceremony was held in June of that year. The first sod was turned by Ron Perry OR '17, his granddaughter, Karen Lillie '88, and Frederick Ashbaugh. By this point, the campaign had raised $9 million of its $12 million goal $6 million for construction and $3 million for scholarships and bursaries, maintenance, faculty chairs, and the professional development fund. However, there were problems on the horizon. Escalating costs forced a delay in the completion of the interior of the new theatre, spurring a fundraising drive to appeal for second gifts and a reworking of the building’s design.

For the second time in the campaign, the immense generosity of "T" Mandeville saved the day. Mandeville, along with his brothers, Peter '38 and Michael '41, were able to attend Ridley because of bursary support, and as a result, took several opportunities in their lifetimes to show their appreciation for this life-changing assistance—and create similar opportunities for future generations of Ridleians. For their tremendous generosity, the new auditorium at the heart of 2CB the Ernest Mandeville Theatre bears their name to this day, named in memory of their father.

Mandeville, however, was not the only key player at this juncture. The significant efforts of Hume Cronyn '31 and his wife Jessica Tandy, must also be recognized. In advance of the premiere of their new film, Batteries Not Included, the two, in conjunction with the Board, organized a special gala evening at the Badminton and Racquet Club of Toronto. Shortly after, the third transformational gift to the campaign by Dr. Harold Siebens of just over $2 million sealed the deal. As a result of these tremendous acts of generosity and the efforts of Property Manager, Les Andrew, who worked tirelessly alongside the architects, construction on the new theatre was able to move forward with minimal loss only a greenhouse was cut from the original plans.

By March 1988, most of the physical structure had been erected, with only a few final sections outstanding. Following this milestone, masons began to lay the walls enclosing the building and installed special supports for the novel Mandeville Theatre and Music Department practice rooms. The following month, the Donor Recognition Wall committee chose an artist to construct the wall, which would be situated opposite the front entrance. Mr. Angelo di Peta was selected by an artistic jury to create a work which encompassed the names of significant donors. After the $12.1 million milestone was reached, the names of the two main wings were confirmed, honouring the Ashbaugh family and Dr. Harold Siebens, who presented the third major gift.

On May 7th, 1989, the Second Century Building was officially dedicated immediately following the school’s annual Church Parade. Many of the donors—along with an unseasonable snowfall—were present for the festivities, including representatives from the Asbaugh, Siebens, and Mandeville families. While both Frederick Asbaugh and Harold Siebens had died in the interim, in 1987 and 1989, respectively, they were most certainly present in spirit as Kitty Miller '21, daughter of Ridley’s first Headmaster, unveiled the official plaque.

Later that month, the Mandeville Theatre opened its doors, kicking off more than three decades of world-class performances with a sublime celebration of Ridley talent. Produced by Bill Glassco '53, the programme was hosted by Tim Hughes '77, who served as Master of Ceremonies, along with presentations by Colm Feore '77, Bob Schmon '70, Don Hunt, Maurice Cooke, and Darcy and Stewart McKeough '85, among others.

The Second Century Campaign was one of the most successful capital campaigns in Ridley’s history and represents a significant milestone in our 134-year history. By the end of its run, the campaign had exceeded its goal, bringing in a grand total of over $15 million. The Second Century Campaign testifies not only to the tremendous passion and generosity of our community but also to our ongoing commitment to creating a dynamic learning community suitable to addressing the complexity of the times. This includes creating new, student-centred environments optimized for modern learning, which support our educational programmes and allow our students to express themselves creatively, a drive visible most recently in our $50 million Campaign for Ridley. As the future home of our Middle School, the Second Century Building remains indispensable to our campus and, in its second life, will continue to transform the lives of generations of Ridleians and help our students cultivate the skills, attitudes, and values needed to lead and flourish throughout the world.

THE CAMPAIGN FOR RIDLEY

Addressing the future needs of our students and campus