A MESSAGE OF THANKS
At Upper Canada College, our commitment to our students is central to everything we do. And we’re so grateful that as members of our engaged and dynamic community of parents, grandparents, alumni, faculty and staff, and friends of the College, you share in our dedication to ensuring that transformational learning opportunities abound for current and future generations.
Throughout the past year, donors and volunteers have been incredible partners in creating a supportive learning environment steeped in tradition, excellence and innovation — one that keeps students’ interests at the heart. Highlights profiled here include revitalized facilities for our athletic and academic programming; the beautiful new Wilder Library mural by Indigenous artist Philip Cote uniting art, history and the College’s commitment to Truth and Reconciliation; the Class of 2003’s inspiring efforts to grow their class fund for the students of tomorrow in memory of classmate Michael Jurist; and our sector-leading financial assistance program that provides support to 20 per cent of our students.
Your philanthropy and volunteerism impact life at UCC in so many positive ways. Thank you for the vital role you play in helping our students to thrive, and for your continued partnership in making our school the very best it can be.
With gratitude,
SAM MCKINNEY Chair, UCC Board of Governors Principal
BLAKE HUTCHESON ’80
UCC has more than 10,000 ft2 of design space across 5 design labs
SPOTLIGHT ON EXTRAORDINARY SPACES
Prep Parents’ Organization funds helped purchase a new pergola for the Prep Learning Garden
Thanks to the Parents’ Organization, the Upper School’s Lower Dining Hall was refreshed with new furniture and a mural
Throughout the year, our athletics facilities host more than 118,000 visitors from the broader community for games, tournaments and recreation
UCC’s incredible archives houses more than 20,000 photographs
In partnership with our generous donors, we continue to invest in optimal learning environments that prepare our students to thrive in today’s fast-paced and ever-changing landscape. Our focus is on classrooms, common areas and hubs that provide students with the resources and inspiration they need to succeed.
Plans for a new design lab at the Prep immediately drew the attention of Reid and Brenda Chen, parents of Year 4 student Tim Chen, and $1 million lead donors to the Brenda & Reid Chen Innovation Lab. “We want our kids to be as prepared for the world as possible,” says Reid. “The world is changing so quickly, and the sooner students can use technology to enhance their learning and start to build their creative thinking skills, the better.”
A purpose-built space that supports the development of design thinking and hands-on learning opportunities for our youngest students is just one example of how the College is creating student spaces for the future. Says Julia Kinnear, vice-principal of learning and academic innovation, “We’ve undergone significant program development at the College that’s shaping and informing what our needs are. We want spaces that are flexible and responsive to evolving methods of teaching and learning.”
The lab, which opened in September, offers choice, flexibility, and high levels of collaboration for students and teachers. “Flexible spaces and collaborative teaching structures maximize student learning and wellbeing,” says Joanna Martin, PYP design teacher and ICT integrator at the Prep. “Allowing students to apply their learnings in a hands-on setting helps to establish cross-disciplinary thinking pathways and problem-solving skills.”
PHYSICAL SPACES
AT UCC are vital to the learning journey, inspiring engagement, enthusiasm and innovation. They play a fundamental role in providing the transformational learning experiences that are a hallmark of a UCC education.
“The
world is changing so quickly, and
the
sooner students can use technology to enhance their learning and start to build their creative thinking skills, the better.”
DONORS AND PARENTS
Brenda and Reid Chen
200 students participated in musical ensembles and competitions
SPOTLIGHT ON ARTS
Students in ensembles committed approximately 360 hours to practise at school and at home during the school year
More than 250 students celebrated the arts at Nuit Bleue, UCC’s spring arts festival
Prep and Upper students participated in 12 theatre productions
Community support of UCC’s annual fund purchased utility carts for use in our visual arts studio
The late Peter Dalglish ʼ53 found inspiration around every corner at UCC, motivating him to establish the Dalglish Art Fund with his wife, Camilla, to support creative projects and programming. “My love of art was strongly influenced by looking at the fine paintings in the corridors of UCC,” he said. “I want all students to have the same opportunity.”
Most recently their fund has supported a new mural in the Prep Wilder Library by Indigenous artist Philip Cote, which was unveiled last December. “The support from the Dalglish Art Fund has facilitated the significant deepening of our working relationship with Cote,” says Monika Kastelic, Prep art teacher. “I’m deeply grateful to be at an institution that has such strong support for the arts.” The mural — entitled First Humans and the Seven Clans and composed of humans and animals rendered in bold colours — also represents the College’s commitment to Truth and Reconciliation, and aims to connect the present with the Indigenous past of the land on which UCC sits.
A Year 5 class was the first to propose the idea of the mural after being asked, “How can we spur the UCC community to think more deeply about the present and past of this land?” Cote has been working with UCC students to explore Indigenous history through art for more than 10 years, and now the College is the custodian of this incredible and vivid mural. At the unveiling event, Principal Sam McKinney commended Cote’s work and expressed deep thanks to Peter and Camilla for “enriching our community with the gift of public art.”
THE ARTS AT UCC
harness students’ creativity, strengthen their capacity to work effectively with others, and develop talent, character and compassion. Our exceptional arts programs encourage students to look at the world in their own way while giving them a strong foundation in historical contexts and international traditions.
“I’m
deeply grateful to be at an institution that has such strong support for the arts.”
PYP VISUAL ARTS SPECIALIST Monika Kastelic
Athletes travelled to 219 away games and tournaments
SPOTLIGHT ON ATHLETICS
611 Upper School Students participated on one or more competitive athletic teams
Thanks to our generous community, we were able to purchase 4 new softball backstops, 4 new ping pong tables and 3 storage containers to keep our equipment secure
Upper School students can join one or more of our 43 athletic teams throughout the school year
The UCC Fund supported the purchase of new equipment and tables for the Sports Injury Clinic to keep our student athletes healthy on and off the field
When the UCC Blues come out to play, school spirit and community support are incredibly strong. And now varsity hockey and lacrosse players have a new locker room where they can gather to focus and bond before they hit the ice or field.
The locker room provides the teams with a source of pride, while giving younger athletes something to aspire to. “We have that extra motivation to earn it,” says hockey player Olivier Chan 2025. “We’re grateful to have access to so many state-of-the-art facilities. It gives us every opportunity to be great.”
Four families, brought together by the shared experience of their sons, made the renovation of the locker room possible. “We’ve seen the positive impact team sports provide, as well as the lifelong memories that are created,” say Robyn and Steven Scott, parents of Will 2026. “The locker room is a welcoming place where camaraderie begins and friendships can thrive.”
Jordan and Mandy Dermer (parents of James ’24 and Andrew 2027), Ivan Schneeberg and Marie Garneau (parents of Leo Schneeberg ’24) and Alistair and Deborah Baxter (parents of Liam ’24) were also proud to give. Says Robyn Scott, “We’re happy to be able to help ensure that future generations can share in the positive experiences the school has provided for our family.”
DONORS AND PARENTS
Mandy and Jordan Dermer, Deborah and Alistair Baxter, Marie Garneau (not pictured, Ivan Schneeberg), Robyn and Steven Scott
ATHLETICS AT UCC
give students an inspiring range of opportunities to excel and challenge themselves. Through our interscholastic, recreational and house programs, athletes develop leadership capabilities and important life skills including discipline, teamwork, confidence and humility.
“We’re happy to be able to help ensure that future generations can share in the positive experiences the school has provided for our family.”
DONORS AND PARENTS
Robyn and Steven Scott
More than $500,000 was raised for financial assistance in 2023–24
SPOTLIGHT ON FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Disbursements from endowed funds contribute just under 50 per cent of the annual allocation to financial assistance — the rest comes from annual donations and secondary revenues
The College awarded $6.15 million in financial assistance in 2024
Financial assistance was awarded to 211 students in Years 5–12
The UCC Fund received 952 gifts to support financial assistance
DONOR AND PAST FA RECIPIENT Ali Merali ʼ02
Because of our robust financial assistance (FA) program, our classrooms are filled with a breadth of experiences and perspectives.
As we move towards our 200th anniversary, we continue to expand our FA program to cover co-curriculars and new programming so all students have access to the full UCC experience. Most recently, gifts to the FA program helped to offset the cost for eligible families for our new innovative leadership and wellbeing program, Week Without Bells. Families in need of support were offered prorated assistance for students in Years 9 to 11. With your increased support, UCC continues to keep inclusivity at the forefront by ensuring cost is not a barrier.
An even more inclusive FA program is something that Ali Merali ’02 is personally committed to. “UCC is special because it provides more than just an education — it offers a foundation for life,” he says. “As an FA recipient, my education was made possible by donors whose names I may never know, yet whose contributions have shaped my journey in ways I could have never imagined.” Fellow FA recipient David Matheson ’99 says, “UCC’s financial assistance program provided me with much-needed support during some challenging times, allowing me to remain at the school I loved.”
Continued support for UCC’s FA program assists current students on their paths to becoming future leaders, thinkers and change-makers, and ensures that every student has access to exceptional programs and experiences.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AT UCC
UCC’s values-driven approach to admission includes a best-inCanada FA program, offering more than $6 million in financial assistance in recent years. Acceptance is on a needs-blind basis to welcome talented students of high potential and enhance the UCC experience for all.
“UCC’s
financial assistance program provided me with much-needed support during some challenging times, allowing me to remain at the school I loved.
I’ve
never forgotten that, and I give back to help others facing their own challenges.”
DONOR
AND PAST FA RECIPIENT
David Matheson ʼ99
115 Old Boys raised $77,774 during the 2023 Reunion
457 Old Boys from 10 countries made gifts
SPOTLIGHT ON
ALUMNI GIVING
Thanks to one alumnus, the entire ski team was able to compete wearing new slalom skis
One Old Boy supported the acquisition of 50 new books for the Macintosh Library
Class Funds contributed more than $197,000 to financial assistance in 2022–23
CLASS OF 2003 MEMBERS
Patrick Hamm, Matt Finkelstein, Chan Sethi and Michael Annecchini
Leading up to their 20-year reunion, members of the Class of 2003 noticed that their class fund for financial assistance — which they renamed in honour of their late classmate Michael Jurist — wasn’t as robust as they would have liked. “We saw it as a perfect opportunity to really push for donations,” says Matt Finkelstein. “It got people excited about attending Reunion and getting to reconnect with old friends.”
Impressively, two-thirds of the class participated in raising $44,158 — the most raised at 2023’s Reunion. “We’re starting families now, and as a parent it makes you appreciate UCC even more for what it provided us,” says Michael Annecchini. Adds Class President Chan Sethi, “Now that we’re in positions where we’re more established and able to do so, giving back to a place that gave us so much and helping to pay it forward for the next generation is so meaningful.”
Also special is the fact that celebrating Michael Jurist has become an enduring way for classmates to reflect on their time at UCC and remember a gifted athlete and student. Michael loved and excelled at tennis, and every year at A-Day, a tennis tournament is held in his name.
Class funds are created for each graduating class and are often allocated to areas of the school that members are interested in championing, including financial assistance, design, technology and wellbeing.
ALUMNI GIVING AT UCC
Class funds bring UCC graduates together! They support vital initiatives at the College and can be contributed to at any point in the year.
“Now that we’re in positions where we’re more established and able to do so, giving back to a place that gave us so much and helping to pay it forward for the next generation is so meaningful.”
DONOR AND CLASS PRESIDENT Chan Sethi ’03
SPOTLIGHT
ON A BOLD FUTURE
As Upper Canada College nears the end of its second century as a global leader in boys’ education, the importance of the reliable income generated through our endowment has never been more evident.
Endowed funds are gifts of enduring impact, ensuring tradition, innovation and excellence are fostered now and for future generations of UCC students. Since 2011, the endowment has grown from $42.2 million to $150 million, thanks to the generosity of our community and careful stewardship by the UCC Foundation’s Board of Trustees.
TOTAL ASSET GROWTH COMPARED TO LONG-TERM BENCHMARK
Income generated by the endowment supports a range of priorities, from financial assistance to academic and cocurricular programs. Horizons, UCC’s inter-school tutoring program, celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, and its continued growth and success is in large part due to the vision and leadership of donors who supported the program through endowed gifts.
The Foundation’s Board of Trustees is made up of Old Boys, parents and past parents — leaders in the finance and investment community who generously share their expertise with the College. Led by Elliot Johnson ’94, the Board shares a commitment to supporting current and future UCC students and the broader College community through strategic oversight of the endowment, ensuring it’s managed in a way that reflects the College’s values of learning, pluralism, service, community and wellbeing — while generating stable annual returns.
UCC FOUNDATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Elliot Johnson ’94
Tanya Covassin
Matt Farb ’96
Jim Garner ’77
Christine McLean
Niral Merchant ’93
Chan Sethi ’03
Raymond Shiu
Stephanie Tjon
Percy Wong ’93
“The Foundation offers a unique opportunity to make a lasting impact on UCC and its community. Over time, we’ve grown our capital faster than the inflation-adjusted draw, ensuring that every gift becomes more meaningful as the years pass. When you give to the Foundation, you’re not only helping boys attending UCC today but ensuring future students have the same opportunities for generations to come.”
Elliot Johnson ’94
SPOTLIGHT
ON VOLUNTEERS
From governance and mentorship roles to our Parents’ Organization, Prep Parents’ Organization and beyond, the entire College community benefits from the commitment of the many individuals who share their time and expertise.
2024 JOHN D. STEVENSON AWARD
The John D. Stevenson Award recognizes individuals who have provided outstanding volunteer service to the College over a number of years. Consummate volunteer John Stevenson ’47 passed away in August 2023, but his legacy lives on through this special honour. This year’s winner is Carita Sheehy, who became an active volunteer at the College once her sons, Ryan ’15, Cameron ’17 and Matthew ’20, entered UCC. She undertook numerous portfolio and hands-on roles at both the Prep and Upper School, including co-president and treasurer of the Parents’ Organization and co-chair of the Blues Booster Club. Currently, she is vice-president of parents for UCC’s Association Council, chairing the Governance Committee.
HAROLD A.D. ROBERTS CIRCLE 2024 INDUCTEES
The Harold A.D. Roberts Circle Award is given annually in recognition of substantial volunteer contributions or special service by members of the UCC community. It celebrates those who go above and beyond the call of duty to significantly improve the UCC Association and the College.
Brendan Caldwell ’87
Caroline Morgenstern
Dan Andreae ’72
Natalie Davidson
Simon Clarke-Okah
Carita Sheehy
We’re so grateful for the efforts of our tireless parent, alumni and community volunteers!
GOVERNANCE
Association Council and Committees
Board of Governors
Campaign Cabinet
Honorary Trustees
UCC Foundation Board Trustees
UCEF Board of Trustees (U.S.)
U.K. Foundation Board of Trustees
ALUMNI
Asia Advisory Council
Branch Presidents and Committees
Class Presidents
Lang Scholar Mentors
New Grad Success Program Mentors
PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS
Arts Booster Club
Blues Booster Club
Festive Marketplace and Silent Auction Committee
Parent Ambassadors
Parents’ Organization
Prep Parents’ Organization
WeChat Parents Group
Class Year Representatives
COMMUNITY
Association Day Steering Committee
Founder’s Dinner Committee
IB DP Systems Transformation Pathway Advisory Council
Lang Scholar Advisory Committee
58 senior volunteers serve on the Board of Governors, Foundation Board of Trustees, UCEF Board of Trustees and U.K. Foundation Board of Trustees
More than 600 parent, Old Boy and community volunteers gave their time in 2023–24
98 volunteers have been recognized with John D. Stevenson or Harold A.D. Roberts awards
A combined 100 volunteers comprise the PO and PPO slates annually UCC’s Association Council (formerly the Old Boys’ Association) has been in existence since 1891
UPPER CANADA COLLEGE
200 LONSDALE ROAD, TORONTO, ON CANADA M4V 1W6
UCC.ON.CA/GIVING
