The Change Engine Highlight

Advocacy is a vitally important action that people take every day around the world. It is how you can express your opinion, work to convince others, and take steps towards change. The Change Engine gives University of Waterloo undergraduate students the platform to continue this tradition, providing an opportunity to champion meaningful ideas, from improving campus services to influencing policy. Students have historically played an important role in advocating for things like the tuition cap, increases in student financial aid, the Waterloo night bus program, and many other important changes that students now benefit from.  

WUSA was founded with a mandate of supporting students and advocacy is a big part of that. Many of the support and services that exist on campus are a result of direct student advocacy, in which students come together and push for change. In addition to directly advocating on student issues, WUSA supports developing student leaders and provide them with opportunities to bring forward new ideas and priorities. As such WUSA provides many different opportunities to get involved in advocacy, such as through surveys and round tables, OUSA consultation, petitions, and a new program called the Change Engine. This is a way that you can bring your advocacy goals into reality with the support and funding of WUSA.  

You can read more about the change engine on The Change Engine Webpage. If you are interested in advocacy or improving student life on campus this is your opportunity. Submission to the Change Engine closes on December 8th, so make your submission as soon as possible. If your submission is selected, you will be asked to present your idea to a panel of students and WUSA’s Advocacy team. The winning submissions will receive prize money up to $5000 in seed money and mentorship from WUSA advocacy staff to help students work towards the goals that they have outlined in their submission.  

This opportunity will provide you with valuable experience in advocacy, leadership, and project resource management. These skills are important for the remainder of your life and can be used in the future when getting involved with the clubs on campus, WUSA, or in a faculty society. Change starts with students, and this is a time for you to take the wheel and drive toward a better tomorrow.  

Rory Norris  

Communications Assistant