By Laura Steiner, Milton Reporter, Local Journalism Initiative
Wilfrid Laurier University (WLU) is opening its Milton Campus to full-time commuter students this fall. The announcement was made as part of an open house for alumni earlier this month at the 555 Industrial Drive.
“We are very excited that classes will be formally starting here in September. You’ll start to see students, faculty, and staff really making this their academic home here for the next four years, WLU Vice Chancellor and President Deborah McClatchy said. The school will offer programs in computer science, and Psychology to students throughout the Milton, and Halton area. The programs will be designed to be flexible to the student’s needs, featuring both online, and in-person offerings.
Laurier’s main campus is based in Waterloo, with a satellite campus in Brantford Ontario, making Milton its third campus. “Students at Laurier Milton will enjoy the best part of Laurier’s student life and academic excellence that have been honed at Waterloo, and Brantford campuses and be part of building a culture that is uniquely theirs as our Milton,” added Jason Coolman, Vice President, Advancement and External Relations. The building contains a mix of student space, including kitchenettes, a computer lab, and the main lecture seating up to 75 students.
The Laurier Academic Centre is the latest step towards a campus as part of the Milton Education Village (MEV). “The physical campus and its buildings in the Milton Education Village will be developed over a number of years with a purpose-built approach that balances immediate campus needs with a flexible and resilient long-term vision, Coolman said. The university sets out ten guiding principles for the MEV campus including that it’s a ‘net zero campus, and a promise to adopt Indigenous worldviews in the design and programming of the campus.’ The first building is expected to open in 2028. For more information on Wilfrid Laurier University’s Milton Campus visit their website.
