Distinguished alumnus and donor Paul Cadario (CivE 7T3, Hon LLD 1T3) has had a significant impact on the lives of thousands of students.
His passion for education and community development is reflected through his generous contributions to student scholarships and university infrastructure. His transformational gifts include establishing the Paul Cadario Chair in Global Engineering, Experiential Learning Student Awards In Engineering, Social Impact Internships in Engineering, and the Paul Cadario Civil Engineering Award.
For U of T Giving Day — a 24-hour fundraising campaign on March 26 — writer Kristina Kazandjian spoke with Cadario about his journey from civil engineering to the World Bank, the impact of scholarships on his education, and the importance of giving back.
What are your thoughts on engineering as a profession that can lead you anywhere?
Engineers are trained to see systems and operate within complex environments. These skills are invaluable in a wide range of fields that engineers take up with great success, from technology to law to business.
For example, my own field, global development and poverty eradication, involves intricate economic, financial and political systems that evolve rapidly and sometimes unpredictably.
The adaptability that an engineering education provides makes it a great way to open doors to countless opportunities.
What was the first donation you made to U of T and what was the inspiration behind the gift?
The first donation I remember was to support a modest scholarship; as a young World Bank staffer with a mortgage, it was all I could scrape together at the time. But it felt important to do so. It was my way of saying thank you for the U of T entrance scholarship, and for the Inco scholarship that covered my tuition.
This financial aid meant that my mother, who was widowed young, didn’t have to worry about supporting me through university. The scholarships I received meant I could work summer jobs related to engineering, gaining practical skills before graduation. Measuring water currents and temperatures at future Ontario Hydro generating sites and examining municipal services in Inuit communities in Nunavut gave me real-world insights into how engineering impacts communities.
You chose a somewhat unconventional career path after engineering: the World Bank. How did your time there shape your approach to philanthropy and giving back?
It’s fair to say that graduating from civil engineering, specialized in urban transport and the environment made me close to being a social scientist and comfortable with quantitative economics and data analysis. This skill set was invaluable when I joined the World Bank, which still hired many engineers due to its origins in reconstruction and development.
For example, my training helped me explain to colleagues why groundwater irrigation on the Greek side of a river would impact groundwater on the Turkish side as well, and the political problems that might raise. Another example: an architect colleague and I concluded that a government’s interest in an urban freeway had more to do with who owned the property than it did with inflated traffic counts. The hours I’d spent counting cars turning from McCaul onto College Street during Traffic Engineering and analyzing the number of homes the Scarborough Expressway would cut through taught me to consider the broader impact of investments on real people.
Ultimately, philanthropy is about making a tangible difference in people’s lives, whether through better classrooms and labs for students or ensuring that the brightest minds have access to education regardless of their financial means.
You’ve made significant contributions to the University of Toronto, mostly to student awards. What motivates your generosity toward the university and why is student access so important?
I owe my education to the generosity of others, having attended U of T and Oxford on scholarships. Giving back is my way of paying it forward and ensuring that talented students can attend U of T regardless of their financial situation.
On top of that, my volunteer work since graduating has given me a deep understanding of all the incredible teaching and research happening at U of T. I want to support, maintain and expand that excellence.
How do you see your philanthropic efforts benefiting the next generation of students and the broader community?
Our future depends on having great scholars and teachers advancing knowledge. I’m thrilled with the impact the Centre for Global Engineering has had, from bringing water innovation to poor communities to advancing rapid diagnostics for health centres.
Graduates from U of T Engineering and the Munk School have gone on to influential roles in government, consulting, banking and other sectors, reflecting well on U of T’s academic community. Investments in facilities for the Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering and University College create spaces for learning and discussion. Bringing people together in this way is what great research universities do.
Can you share a story or moment that made you especially proud of your involvement with the university?
There are many moments, but celebrating Geoff Hinton’s Nobel Prize in Stockholm stands out.
His work on artificial intelligence has had a profound impact on science and our daily lives, highlighting the importance of addressing the ethical and societal implications of technological advancements. It’s moments like these that make me proud to support U of T.
For someone interested in giving back but unsure where to start, what would you recommend as the first step?
Volunteer. Learn about what’s happening at U of T in a field that excites you and talk to a favourite professor about how you can get involved.
Engage with your community and share how U of T and other post-secondary institutions contribute to society. Encourage young people to consider U of T for their education and future careers.
