Easing stress from financial need

Giving Day, Nov. 29, assists students in building their futures

In 2021, Mount Royal University held its inaugural Giving Day, a 24-hour campaign focusing efforts on raising critical funds for current and future students, providing support in and out of the classroom.

This year’s Giving Day will take place on Nov. 29, and will offer several fun challenges in which to take part.

“Giving Day is when we shine a light on philanthropy within our own community and how any gift — large or small — can make a difference,” says MRU president and vice-chancellor Tim Rahilly, PhD. “Last year, 671 donors raised $262,646.86, of which $107,000 went towards student awards. Those are funds that provide immediate relief to students.”

Sixty years of graduates gave on Giving Day 2021, representing every decade from the 1950s to the 2020s. Cougar Athletics, the MRU Conservatory and everything in between received support from generous donors. 

The impact of a gift

David Sinclair
Recipient of the Indigenous University Bridging Program Bursary

 

With the support of a wife and his four children, David Sinclair made the decision to come to MRU to earn his Bachelor of Business Administration and further himself and his career. “Carefully,” he jokes, when asked how he manages being a full-time student, husband and father at the same time.

Sinclair, who received the Indigenous University Bridging Program Bursary, says balancing his time is precarious, but thanks to the bursary he’s been able to sustain his grades, his responsibilities at work, his involvement with youth sport programs, and also assists elders and volunteers on other projects within his community.

“The ability to maintain the (four to six hours per week) needed to volunteer as opposed to rushing from school straight to work helps with building relationships. It takes stress away from the financial need so I can focus on school and focus on community involvement.”

For Giving Day 2022, students have identified mental health and wellness and student awards and bursaries as their priority areas of need. A major goal for this year is to grow MRU’s scholarship endowment to $50 million from its current status of $47.5 million. In addition, as part of MRU’s drive to meet the growing and evolving needs of students and to align with the post-secondary sector on scholarship supports, donors and alumni have contributed more than  $5,000 to go towards work being done by MRU as guided by the Suicide Prevention Strategic Framework.

There are a million reasons to give. What’s yours?