The University of Toronto Scarborough has officially opened the Sam Ibrahim Building, a state-of-the art, five-storey space designed to support student learning, provide access to resources and encourage connection and collaboration.
The building's centrepiece is the Sam Ibrahim Centre for Inclusive Excellence in Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Leadership, which equips student entrepreneurs with the tools they need to flourish and empowers them to develop their ideas directly in Scarborough.
Sam Ibrahim, president and general manager of Arrow Group of Companies, and Linda Johnston, U of T vice-president and principal of U of T Scarborough, at the recently opened Sam Ibrahim Building (all photos by Lisa Sakulensky)
The building also serves as the home of the department of computer and mathematical sciences and consolidates student services - the Office of Student Experience & Wellbeing, the Academic Advising & Career Centre, AccessAbility Services and the Health & Wellness Centre - under one roof.
Both the building and the Sam Ibrahim Centre were supported by a $25-million investment from Scarborough-based entrepreneur Sam Ibrahim, the president and general manager of Arrow Group of Companies, which provides strategic consulting and talent solutions to a wide range of industries.
"The university is deeply grateful to Sam Ibrahim for his generosity," said U of T President Meric Gertler. "His visionary investment helped make the Sam Ibrahim Building possible and enabled us to establish the Sam Ibrahim Centre to support student entrepreneurs. Designed to foster collaboration and creativity, these beautiful new facilities will enrich the experiences of our students for generations to come."
U of T President Meric Gertler delivers remarks at the unveiling of the Sam Ibrahim Building.
A future-forward building
Located on Military Trail, on the North Campus of U of T Scarborough, the Sam Ibrahim Building features study spaces, lounges, labs, open seating areas and 20 technology-enhanced classrooms and lecture halls, including the 500-seat, campfire-style Arrow Group Innovation Hall and the 200-seat, group-oriented "Collaboratorium."
The surrounding landscape - inspired by the Highland Creek ravine that weaves through the campus - is extended indoors through sloping mounds, embedded seating and planting beds. The ground floor of the building acts as a campus "living room" and has a 360-degree view, while the building's compact rectangular shape also capitalizes on views in all directions and has open space for ease of access for large numbers of students and community members.
"The Sam Ibrahim Building is a wonderful new addition to U of T Scarborough," said Vice-President, U of T and Principal, U of T Scarborough Linda Johnston. "Students will have opportunities to study, collaborate and socialize in a variety of unique spaces designed with their needs in mind, which goes a long way in contributing to their well-being and success."
The building was designed to reach a high standard of sustainability: it was constructed to targets that will meet energy efficiency performance at a Toronto Green Standards level and achieve energy efficiency reductions that are 40 per cent less than baseline building standards. This is accomplished in part through the high thermal insulation of the building envelope and a geothermal energy plant.
"The Sam Ibrahim Building helps to further U of T's commitment to sustainability," said U of T Governing Council Chair Anna Kennedy. "These efforts contribute to U of T's rating as the world's most sustainable university for the second year in a row by the latest QS World University Rankings."
Sam Ibrahim was joined by his sons, Isiah and Gabriel, at the opening of the Sam Ibrahim Building.
A new base for entrepreneurship
A core part of the building is the Sam Ibrahim Centre for Inclusive Excellence in Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Leadership, an accelerator that encourages innovators to embody leadership values and reflect inclusive excellence. The centre will leverage the university's vast pool of research and innovation expertise and global networks to provide entrepreneurs at U of T Scarborough with connections and learning opportunities that can help accelerate their ideas directly in Scarborough, helping to spur economic growth for the region.
Ibrahim's investment will allow the centre to attract renowned leaders and experts through two new positions: the Sam Ibrahim Chair in Inclusive Entrepreneurship and Innovation, who will lead the vision for the centre; and an entrepreneur-in-residence, who will provide valuable mentorship to up-and-coming innovators. Student entrepreneurs who face financial barriers will be eligible for three new awards established by Ibrahim as part of this investment: the Sam Ibrahim Awards, the Gabriel Fanous Awards, and the Shaemin Ukani Awards - named after two of Ibrahim's longtime colleagues.
"Since Scarborough is my home, I am deeply invested in its success," said Ibrahim, who is also co-founder of the Scarborough Shooting Stars, the first GTA-based franchise of the Canadian Elite Basketball League. "I'm proud that the Sam Ibrahim Building will play a central role in the lives of students at U of T Scarborough and that the Sam Ibrahim Centre will help make the university a magnet for local entrepreneurial talent."
Student entrepreneurs at the centre will be able to access the complete portfolio of coaching available through U of T Scarborough's other accelerator, The Bridge. It will also allow U of T Scarborough to expand on the programming The Bridge offers, support outreach activities such as work-integrated learning opportunities and lecture series and enhance the Eastern GTA's broader innovation ecosystem.
"Sam Ibrahim's philanthropic investment builds a lasting legacy of inclusive excellence and student success - priorities that align with those of Defy Gravity: The Campaign for the University of Toronto," said U of T Vice-President of Advancement David Palmer. "As U of T seeks to solve some of society's most pressing challenges, we are deeply grateful for a partnership that provides students from Scarborough and the Eastern GTA with a welcoming space in which to thrive."
