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Community Snapshots

The CEMC community—students, parents, teachers, volunteers and donors—share why the CEMC matters to them.

CEMC In Person

“I never believed Think About Math! would change my life the way it did. Today I’m in UWaterloo’s double-degree mathematics and business co-op program. Whenever I doubt myself, I always go back to that inspiring day at Think About Math! and remember that I can do it.”

- Sophie Janszen-Spitman, 2016 Think About Math! participant

“The CEMC Visits Schools workshop that we had today was very educational and helpful. All of our students were engaged and interested. They can't stop talking about it!”

- Salimat Mohammed, Teacher, Brampton, ON

Contests & CEMC Digital

“Most people think creativity and math are separate spheres. My family knows otherwise. Writing CEMC mathematics contests in high school gave me an outlet for creative problem solving that encouraged me to pursue my interest in math—an interest that led me to a career as a software developer…. More recently, I’ve seen the first-hand benefits of the CEMC as experienced by my son. The online resources and contests challenged him to reach beyond what he was learning in school, making the CEMC a very worthwhile—and enjoyable—endeavour for us both.”

– Louise MacCallum, BMath ’85 and co-founder, Musagetes Foundation

“It’s hard to overstate the importance of the Canadian Computing Contest on the quality of my computer science program…. This contest acts as a primary focus for my computer club and helps my students push themselves to a higher level of excellence.”

– Ron McKenzie, Teacher, Windsor, ON

International Development

“I believe that a long-term collaboration with the CEMC will expose more Rwandan and African students to the beauty of mathematics during their formative years. And, in the long term, it will showcase the mathematical prowess amongst Africa’s secondary students to the world.”

– Dr. Herine Otieno-Menya, Director, Teacher Training Program (TTP)-Rwanda, African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIM)

Future Readiness

“The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation believes that excellent schools—led by teachers who focus on continuous improvement grounded in data and evidence—are what help students succeed most. The CEMC embodies our belief with its unwavering passion and focus of supporting teachers in their learning journey. We are proud of our decade-long partnership focused on ensuring access to opportunities for students and their teachers.”

– Amy Carter, Deputy Directory of Family-Interest Grants, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

“Our country’s prosperity depends on better preparing the next generation for the future of work. Fostering a greater interest among young people in math and computer science is critical to this effort. It’s why I support the work of the CEMC at the University of Waterloo. We need organizations like the CEMC to help us move the dial forward on our country’s future competitiveness by inspiring Canada’s youth to consider careers in math and computer science.”

– David McKay, BMath ’87, DMath ’18 (Honourary) and CEO, Royal Bank of Canada

“I grew up in an era where it wasn’t cool to be proficient in math and science, much less to actually enjoy them. Today, technology is such a large part of our lives, and there’s an overwhelming demand for STEM skills. The CEMC is doing urgently needed work—they encourage young people to celebrate their interest in math and science and accelerate their growth in both. That why I support the CEMC.”

– David Yach, BMath ’83, co-founder and CTO, Auvik