Posted on June 28, 2018

Underscoring their deep commitment to innovative leadership education, William Troost (BASc 1967) and his wife Kathleen have made a $3-million gift to accelerate pioneering programs and initiatives at U of T’s Institute for Leadership Education in Engineering (ILead) at the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering. Recognizing their longstanding support and close to $10 million in cumulative giving to the Faculty, ILead will be renamed the Troost Institute for Leadership Education in Engineering (Troost ILead).

Troost ILead prepares engineers for leadership through course work, co-curricular programs, interactive lectures and community activities, while generating research in leadership pedagogy. William Troost serves on ILead’s Board of Advisors, where he champions the kind of training that helps graduates apply their outstanding technical knowledge to make a real impact.

“The Troosts’ new gift will help us expand our student programs aimed at developing the full potential of engineers and empowering them to lead change to build a better world,” says Professor Doug Reeve, Director of Troost ILead. “It will also allow us to dig deeper into complex research questions about engineering leadership in the workplace and the classroom, and reach out further to engineering leadership educators and engineering-intensive enterprises.”

In addition to their support of ILead, the Troosts have contributed to numerous undergraduate needs-based scholarships at the Faculty. They also supported the construction of the Myhal Centre for Engineering Innovation & Entrepreneurship, the dynamic new hub for the Faculty’s multidisciplinary research and experiential education activities, which will serve as Troost ILead’s new home.

“We are deeply grateful for the enriched student experience and enhanced programming in leadership education enabled by Bill and Kathleen’s gift,” says Cristina Amon, Dean of the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering. “Their unwavering belief in the mission of Troost ILead and their generosity enhances U of T’s international reputation as a leader in engineering leadership education.”