We're all one community': Why local business owner Tom Mihalik gives back to U of T Engineering

Tom Mihalik, owner of Tom’s Place in Kensington Market, returns each fall to lecture at the University of Toronto (U of T) Engineering on the St. George campus, continuing a tradition tied to entrepreneurship education. He shares his story and the history of his men’s clothing business with students in CHE488 Entrepreneurship and Business for Engineers, taught by adjunct professor Vince Arone, who took over from Joseph Paradi in 2023. Mihalik traces the business to 1958, when his father William Mihalik, a Hungarian immigrant, founded it through work and trust. He also credits early community ties, including connections with Paradi, whose research at U of T Engineering explored how engineering principles can apply to entrepreneurship and business development. Arone says Mihalik’s real-world perspective supports students who are beginning to consider building their own ventures. Mihalik also donates across multiple U of T faculties and established support linked to the 8T8 Resilience Award for undergraduates facing financial need.