Paul Cadario (CivE 7T3, Hon LLD 1T3) has dedicated nearly five decades to the University of Toronto community as a volunteer. It all started when he became one of the first students elected to the university’s Governing Council. Since then, Cadario has taken on more than 35 volunteer positions at U of T, earning accolades such as the Arbor Award and an honorary degree. And, through his philanthropic support that spans various priority sectors of U of T, he has significantly impacted the lives of thousands of students.

“On behalf of the University of Toronto community, I am delighted to congratulate Paul Cadario on receiving the Rose Wolfe Award,” says U of T President Meric Gertler.

“Through his decades of volunteer service and philanthropy, Dr. Cadario has made a positive difference in the lives of so many University of Toronto students. And through his work at the World Bank, he has helped to raise the living standards for people around the world.”

The Rose Wolfe Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes exceptional alumni who demonstrate outstanding professional achievements, dedication to civic, charitable and social causes and extraordinary service to the University of Toronto. The award is jointly sponsored by U of T and the University of Toronto Alumni Association (UTAA). It is named for Dr. Rose Wolfe, who served as Chancellor of the University of Toronto from 1991 to 1997. She was an exemplary volunteer for the university she loved dearly.

“Paul Cadario embodies the values and principles championed by Rose Wolfe and the highest ideals of the University of Toronto,” says Rose Patten, Chancellor of U of T and chair of the Rose Wolfe Award selection committee.

“His extraordinary record of service to our university is an inspiration to our entire community. His tireless commitment to lifting the student experience through his involvement and philanthropy will resonate for generations to come.”

Born and raised in Toronto, Cadario studied civil engineering at U of T and worked as a research assistant assessing municipal services in Inuit communities in the Northwest Territories. After graduating in 1973, he became a Rhodes Scholar and spent a summer working in the central planning office in Papua New Guinea and travelling through developing regions in Asia.

After these formative experiences, Cadario joined the World Bank in 1975 and pursued a lifelong commitment to reducing poverty and improving living standards for people worldwide. During a 37-year career at the World Bank, he managed various development programs in Africa and Asia and helped modernize the bank for the digital age of transparency and accountability. Before he retired in 2012, Cadario oversaw quality, results and compliance for the multi-billion-dollar portfolio of funds and grants that the World Bank administers.

“I’m honoured to be named alongside past recipients of this award,” says Cadario. “My motivation for giving, whether it’s time or money, is to strengthen the student experience. Even though I’ve long since graduated, I continue to have formative learning experiences at U of T. It’s an incomparable ecosystem in Canada for students to learn how to learn, and to become strong, contributing members of society.”

Cadario has been a member of the Governing Council twice, first as an undergraduate and later as an elected Alumni Governor. He served as the first openly gay president of the University of Toronto Alumni Association. And he was the first non-resident of the GTA to be elected president — another indicator of his extraordinary commitment. Cadario regularly sits on advisory boards at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy and the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering. In 2012, these divisions named him Distinguished Fellow in Global Innovation and, in June 2013, U of T awarded him an honorary LLD for his leadership and dedication to the university.

The same year, Cadario received the Engineering Alumni Medal in recognition for being an outstanding role model for engineering students. This is the highest honour awarded by the Engineering Alumni Association and given to alumni who have made outstanding achievements in their diverse careers, while responding with flair and excellence to challenges.

Cadario’s philanthropy at U of T spans multiple faculties and disciplines, reflecting his wide-ranging interests. During the 1990s, he established the Cadario Facility for Integrated Learning and the Paul Cadario Scholarship at the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering. More recently, he created a doctoral fellowship in global engineering and provided foundational support for the Centre for Global Engineering at the Myhal Centre for Engineering Innovation & Entrepreneurship.

“I am in awe of Paul Cadario’s contributions,” says Corwin Cambray, president of the UTAA. “His lifetime work inspires others to do more. And he has provided exemplary leadership to the U of T community through his myriad volunteer advisory roles for decades. We are all proud to count him as a member of our global alumni community.”

At the Faculty of Arts & Science, Cadario founded the Paul Cadario Visiting Professorship in Public Policy and Governance, the GSEF-Paul Cadario Scholarships in Public Policy and the Paul Cadario Fellowship in Global Affairs. He also helped revitalize University College, making it more accessible and student friendly. His generosity helped build the Paul Cadario Conference Centre at Croft Chapter House. Most recently, he endowed four undergraduate awards within the Experiential Learning Commons, which will assist as many as 60 students each year. His giving also established new social impact internships, which will support approximately 12 students annually.

“Paul Cadario is among this university’s most dedicated alumni, donors, volunteers, fellows, advisors and friends,” says David Palmer, Vice-President Advancement. “He has been an exemplary champion of U of T, serving with distinction in nearly every capacity an alumnus could possibly serve — an unrivalled record of volunteer service over 50 years since his graduation. We are truly fortunate to call him a friend, and to honour him as one of the university’s great citizens with the Rose Wolfe Distinguished Alumni Award — our highest alumni honour.”