Bank executive pays tribute to his arts education at UW

from the address by CIBC executive Wayne Fox on the occasion of his establishment of the Wayne C. Fox Graduate Scholarships in Arts

Whenever I step foot on a university campus, I become aware of the time that has passed since I took classes at the Arts Lecture Hall or spent a late night at the Dana Porter Library.

I attended the faculty of arts at the University of Waterloo back in the late sixties and early seventies, when Pierre Trudeau was prime minister and campus protests were an important part of every student's social agenda.

One advantage of growing older is the perspective you gain about your various life experiences.

At the time, I wasn't particularly aware of the influence my university experience would have on the rest of my life -- how a liberal arts education would fuel my curiosity and enrich my understanding of politics, culture and literature.

For many decades now, the attraction to "practical" degrees has been increasing.

I'm talking here about degrees in business and engineering and law -- degrees that are seen as fast tracks to well-paying jobs. These faculties have the advantage of a well-heeled alumni from which to draw financial support.

Faculties of arts are different. They promised intangible rather than tangible riches to their students, and their graduates share this wealth in a myriad of ways throughout Canada -- through our education system, arts, media, music, culture, governments, communities and society.

I am a graduate of Waterloo's arts program.

Since then, in the course of my career, I've made literally hundreds of hiring decisions. I've seen how those with a liberal arts education can add depth and breadth -- and a new perspective -- to any profession they choose to enter.

Those of you who know me have heard me say this many times before: we as Canadians need to invest relentlessly in our young people.

Our children are our hopes for a better future and a better world. Without investing in their education, that hope can never be more than simply that, hope.

Debits and credits, torts and mechanical systems are very useful things to know about, but literature, language, anthropology, political science, history, theatre -- these are things that challenge accepted truths, encourage original thought and cultivate compassion.

At this point in our world's history, I can't think of any better investment than this.

And so in partnership with my wife of 32 years, Isobel, this year we decided to put our money where our heart is, in our country's future artists, teachers and community leaders.