Christine & Michael Watt Family Fund

The idea of helping young people pursue post-secondary education has always been more than a passing thought for Mike and Christine Watt.

When their own daughter was in high school, they saw first-hand the barriers students with talent and drive — but not always the financial means — could face to attend college or university. So the Niagaraon- the-Lake couple didn’t hesitate when an opportunity arose to help someone take that next step, covering the cost of first-term tuition so she could pursue post-secondary studies and, eventually, her dream career.

“It wasn’t a huge amount of money for us,” Christine says. “But to support her for a term— to me, it made a huge impact on her life.”

That experience left a lasting impression on the Watts, reinforcing the power of quiet acts of generosity.

“I said to Christine, ‘We’ve got to do more of this,’” Mike says.

The couple turned to the Niagara Community Foundation (NCF) to create the Christine and Michael Watt Family Fund with an education focus.

Mike had known NCF’s late founding Executive Director Liz Palmieri through his years of volunteering, and sees her leadership philosophy carried on by her successor, Bryan Rose. He also worked closely with the Foundation during his time at Walker Industries, helping guide the company’s environmental fund, which NCF managed.

That history gave the Watts confidence that their philanthropy would be carefully stewarded.

“Christine and I felt that in the longer term, this was the best place to put our money,” Mike says.

Through their fund, the couple hope to support local students pursuing professional and STEM-related programs at Brock University and Niagara College. These fields Mike, a retired engineer, and Christine believe can open doors to meaningful, stable careers.

“Those programs also tend to be more expensive,” Christine says. “So we think that’s somewhere we can really help.”

Their intention is to start by helping one or two students each year, with plans to grow the fund’s reach over time. They also want to see the difference they make along the way.

“You can’t take it with you,” Mike says. “It’s much more fun to see people enjoying the fruits of your labour while you’re still around.”