It was a surprise email from Victoria Barham, uOttawa’s Dean of Social Sciences, that reconnected Reg Thompson (BSocSci ’91, LLB ’94) with the Gee-Gees community in 2018.
Curious about the professional pathways of graduates and eager to strengthen the alumni network, Dean Barham and Reg met one day when she was visiting the San Francisco Bay area. A graduate of uOttawa’s criminology and common law programs, Reg has been based in California since 2004, and is today Senior Director, Corporate Legal, with Netflix.
“It was nice to get back in touch with uOttawa because I had all these fond memories from my university days,” describes Reg. A member of the Métis community, Reg was particularly interested in how the university was supporting the next generation of Indigenous youth: “I was impressed by all the University was doing and thinking about when it came to Indigenous education initiatives.”
Almost immediately, Reg decided to deepen his involvement, donating both time and financial resources to the university and its students. It was a full circle moment. During Reg’s university days, it was a scholarship from uOttawa that had enabled him to take the financial leap and move from Winnipeg to the nation’s capital.
“As alumni, many of us have benefited from our time at the University of Ottawa, so there’s an element of ‘let's pay it back.’ It’s immensely rewarding.”
Reg Thompson
Reg hopes other students can benefit in similar ways. Starting with a $1,000 scholarship to support one Indigenous student a year, his contributions have resulted in meaningful endowment growth. Today, Reg’s continued generosity, alongside partnership with other organizations, aids two students in covering their full tuition.
“It goes back to the importance of scholarships and realizing that every amount matters when you don’t have a lot of money for school,” says Reg of his financial gifts. “It didn’t bother me to start small, because I’d experienced small gifts that made a big difference. As alumni, many of us have benefited from our time at the University of Ottawa, so there’s an element of ‘let's pay it back.’ It’s immensely rewarding.”
In Reg’s case, his pair of uOttawa degrees launched further studies abroad and, subsequently, his legal career with Netflix. Joining what was in 2008 a small legal team, Reg has played a role in Netflix’s evolution from a US-only, DVD-by-mail delivery service to becoming a global entertainment studio and provider. “It has been a super fun, interesting, and challenging ride and I couldn’t imagine a better place to work,” reflects Reg on his career with Netflix
Gee-Gees nostalgia lives on
With Reg’s time at uOttawa 30 years in the rearview mirror, there is a degree of nostalgia and campus pride sparked by his renewed involvement in the Gee-Gees alumni community.
For one, Reg fondly remembers sharing a dorm in Thompson Residence with a Lebanese roommate, relishing the different perspectives and ideas that came with university life. And, though he’s now based in sunny California, he can’t help but recall skating down the Rideau Canal, playing football in the snow, or sipping a cozy pint at the long-running Father & Sons tavern.
“I really loved the Ottawa environment,” says Reg. “uOttawa has got everything, from the academics on campus to the social experience in the ByWard Market, to being close to iconic Canadian institutions. I loved meeting new people and having this communal experience in what is one of the best places in Canada.”
On April 2, you can support students through scholarships, bursaries, and more during uOttawa’s first Giving Day. Give early and your gift could be matched up to $2,000 per donor. That means your support goes twice as far helping more students, funding more scholarships, and enhancing more programs across campus.
On Giving Day, infinite possibilities begin with one act of generosity.