George and Helen Vari create opportunities for Ryerson engineers

The George Vari Engineering and Computing Centre has become an important landmark on the Ryerson campus. The state-of-the-art facility spans almost an entire city block in downtown Toronto, and is home to more than 5,000 students from the Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science (FEAS).

Named to recognize a generous $5 million gift from entrepreneur, developer and philanthropist George William Vari, the eye-catching building has stood as a cornerstone to his legacy at Ryerson since his death in 2010.

The building is an important testament to the power of engineering education. George and Helen Vari migrated to Canada after the 1956 Hungarian revolution. George became a successful civil engineer and international real estate developer, working on projects in Paris and Moscow. Vari credited Canada with providing crucial opportunities for his success.

And now the Varis have generously made a gift that will ensure others have similar educational opportunities. Helen Vari, through the George and Helen Vari Foundation, donated $1 million to FEAS to be used for entrance awards. The gift ensures that future engineers will be able to get a Ryerson education. The scholarships bring the Vari Foundation’s total giving to Ryerson to more than $6 million.

Tom Duever, dean of FEAS, expressed his gratitude for the gift. “Offering an award of this stature will help Ryerson to attract, retain and reward the best and the brightest students: those who excel academically and have the potential to become the next generation of leaders and innovators.” He also credited the Vari Award with an ability to level the playing field, so that talented young people, regardless of their financial circumstances, could study engineering.