Donor: Dr. Sheila M. Puffer

Every gift on Giving Day is an investment in the people who will shape our future. Dr. Sheila M. Puffer’s story is a powerful reminder that philanthropy can honour the mentors who inspire us while creating new opportunities for the next generation.

While Puffer credits her education at uOttawa for providing a strong academic foundation, she says it was the mentorship of exceptional professors that truly shaped her life and career. “My time at uOttawa provided me with an excellent education, but it was the guidance, encouragement, and mentorship of exceptional faculty members that had the greatest impact on my life and career.” 
In gratitude, Puffer established two endowed scholarships to honour those mentors and support undergraduate Faculty of Arts students and graduate Telfer School of Management students.

With the Dr. Sheila M. Puffer Scholarship awarded for the first time this year, she reflects, “Supporting students is one of the most rewarding ways I can give back to an institution that has given me so much. I believe that education has the power to transform lives.” Puffer’s generosity ensures that future generations of students will benefit from the same encouragement, mentorship and opportunities that helped shape her own journey.

Stories like Puffer’s illustrate the lasting impact of our Giving Day community. Every donation, no matter the size, helps provide scholarships, remove financial barriers and empower students to pursue their goals. When you give on Giving Day, you aren’t just supporting a student today — you’re investing in the mentors, leaders, innovators and changemakers of tomorrow.
 

Donor: Jeannine Ritchot

For Jeannine Ritchot, uOttawa was more than a place to earn a degree — it was where she discovered her confidence and sense of purpose. “The University of Ottawa was not at all where I lost myself. It’s where I found myself. It’s where I found my voice as a young woman.” Inspired by her own journey and the transformative power of sport, she established the Jeannine Ritchot Scholarship for Student-Athletes on Varsity Women’s Teams in the Faculty of Arts.

Through both her philanthropy and mentorship, Ritchot  is helping young women pursue their goals on and off the field. As she says, “Scholarships are so important... I want to give them the opportunity to play the sport they love and learn what they need to learn. To be who they want to be. Because that's what uOttawa did for me.”

Ritchot’s story reminds us that the impact of Giving Day extends beyond financial support. It’s about fostering confidence, creating opportunities and ensuring students have the encouragement to become the people they aspire to be. Every gift helps build a community where young women can thrive, lead and inspire the next generation.
 

“Supporting University of Ottawa Press means investing in the advancement of knowledge and the vitality of the French language,” says Pierre Calvé.

In April 2025, University of Ottawa Press published Calvé’s book Le français grandeur nature – Portrait et défense d'une langue vivante (French, Life Size: A Portrait and Defence of a Living Language), which explores fundamental aspects of the French language, including everyday spoken French, language registers, anglicisms, spelling challenges and the unique characteristics of French in Canada.

Supporting University of Ottawa Press helps sustain an institution that plays a vital role in sharing knowledge and enriching our intellectual and cultural life. As the only French-language university press outside Quebec, UOP provides an essential platform for scholars and authors whose work strengthens and celebrates the Canadian Francophonie.

Donor support enables the press to continue publishing and sharing works that foster learning, research and meaningful dialogue, while ensuring that French-language scholarship remains accessible and continues to thrive.

“After a 32-year career at the University of Ottawa, where I also studied, I’m proud to support an institution that continues to educate, inspire and make knowledge accessible to students, researchers and the broader community. Giving back is my way of helping ensure that this important mission continues to have a lasting impact — on campus and beyond.”