Vic Alumna Makes Donation for Sustainability
Photo by Minh Truong.
By Leslie Shepherd
Sonia Baxendale recognizes sustainability is crucial to enhancing our climate and the environment. That’s why she has donated $50,000 to Victoria University, earmarking it specifically for sustainability initiatives—the first such grant supporting this area that Vic U has received.
“Sustainability is one of those important issues that universities should be actively focused on,” says Baxendale, 8T4, a member of Vic U’s fundraising Campaign Cabinet. “Universities should be centres of dialogue on sustainability, actively engaging in research, where we are developing the future leaders in this space.”
Sustainability is also an important issue for young people today, says Baxendale, including her three children who are all in their 20s.
“We have more to learn from them than they from us on this subject,” she says. “Another observation is that young people select employers through a lens of sustainability. They want to work for organizations that have a sustainability plan and are concerned about how they are impacting the planet. It’s where the real opportunities and growth will emerge. What better place to start cultivating these values than in the university setting?”
Baxendale brings a professional perspective to the issue, drawing on her extensive and distinguished career at CIBC. She now is president and CEO of the Global Risk Institute, an organization that defines thought leadership in risk management for the financial services sector.
“Among the critical risks we address is environmental sustainability and what the financial sector can do to mitigate the negative impacts,” she says.
When asked about her advice to others considering donations to this cause, she said, “I would encourage my colleagues and friends to reflect on the opportunities that were available to us during the early stages of our growth and development and think how we might support others. To me, the issue of sustainability is important, and the way to support this is by investing in our youth and academics.”
“Sonia is such a wonderful example of an engaged and committed Vic alumna,” says Louise Yearwood, Executive Director of Alumni Affairs & Advancement. “Her volunteer work both here at Vic and with the other organizations she supports is exemplary. Her recent gift is an example of the importance of philanthropy in paving the way forward, particularly in the area of sustainability, which is a priority for both Sonia and for Vic U.”
Baxendale credits her experiences as a student at Vic U, both her education and the community she developed, with shaping her adult life and career. She is a recipient of Victoria College’s highest honour for its alumni, the Distinguished Alumni Award, which she received in 2016.
“I believe that my success was very much tied to the early education and development I received at Vic, so it’s important for me to give back to the next generation,” she says.
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This article originally appeared in the Summer 2024 issue of Vic Report.