September 22nd, 2025

Written by Brook Doersam

Mandy Bujold is a two-time Olympian who found her passion in the boxing ring. A former student at Forest Heights Collegiate Institute (FHCI), Mandy reflects on how her experiences helped prepare her for success in sport and her career.

Mandy started at FHCI part-way through her secondary school years, after moving from New Brunswick to Ontario. Although the move brought some changes, FHCI welcomed her with open arms. 

Mandy shared that “it didn’t take me very long to start to feel comfortable. Right away I started to make some connections. I also realized really quickly why we moved,” said Mandy, as Ontario and FHCI offered more opportunities to her family.

Mandy is best known for her career as an Olympic athlete in boxing; however, she started with a focus on taking dance class in school and fell in love with dance. What she didn’t realize at the time was that what she learned in dance about coordination and flexibility would later support her career in boxing. 

It seemed like a typical day in Grade 11 when she walked into the boxing gym with her brother. 

“Once I saw it for myself, I was like, okay, I really like this,” said Mandy. Fueled by passion, she was all in. The sport quickly became a core part of her life. She balanced school and boxing, getting up at 4:30 a.m. some mornings to sneak in a workout before going to school and then hitting the gym again once classes were over. 

While focused on balancing her studies and passion, Mandy was building the foundation for a successful career as an athlete and two-time Olympian. She spent 14 years representing Canada on the international stage and participated in approximately 180 amateur fights during that time.

Mandy is not only passionate about boxing; she’s focused on giving back to her community, too.  She’s the founder of Champions for Charity, a black tie Vegas style fight night in support of MacKids. It features local business professionals stepping outside their comfort zone and into the ring. They train as amateur boxers, with all the funds raised supporting McMaster Children’s Hospital. Mandy shared that the event was born from “[her] love for giving back to the community and love for the sport.” A recent event raised over $700,000 for MacKids.

Mandy’s advice for students looking to find success on their chosen pathway? Get out there and try new things.

“You have to have an open mind. You have to be willing to try different things and not always follow along with what your friends want to do,” said Mandy. “You have to think about what makes you happy.” 

Celebrating Alumni of the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB)

Graduates of the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) are accomplishing incredible things in our community, our country and around the world. We are putting a spotlight on their success in their chosen pathways, and how their time at WRDSB supported them to graduation and beyond. WRDSB provides students with a solid foundation for success and we are excited to celebrate the contributions and achievements of WRDSB alumni. 

Learn more about our incredible WRDSB graduates.