Students to pay it forward
Bursary launched to promote philanthropic institution
Dayla Brown
Contributor
Since student fees have increased, paying tuition has become no easy feat. To help students meet financial needs, a new bursary was launched in January. The bursary allows the graduating class of 2014 to donate money toward first year students’ tuition.
“The bursary is all about [student] participation. We want to motivate students towards helping others,” says Whitney Struthers, coordinator of annual giving.
Whitney Struthers, coordinator of annual giving, encourages grads to help out future first year students by paying it forward with only $20.14. Photo: Dayla Brown
According to Struthers, Mount Royal University is aiming towards becoming more of a philanthropic intuition with students and staff.
“Students leaving get an opportunity to make a mark on campus.”
Making a small donation can change a first-year student’s life, says Struthers.
“Donating to the bursary would give other students the ability to have the same opportunity to attend school that you had.”
Students graduating this winter can donate by going to the link here. Struthers says that any donation over twenty dollars is tax deductible with 100 per cent of each donation going directly to first year students of this upcoming fall.
The donation website claims, “If every graduating student were to donate just $20.14, you would raise over $30,000 and give 30 first year students $1,000 to help with the cost of: textbooks, rent, tuition and even an occasional boost of caffeine.”
There will be an information session on March 26 at The Grad Send-Off. It will be held on Main Street near the library at 9:30 a.m. The event is put on by Alumni Relations, which is a part of University Advancement on campus. The session will inform grads about the benefits and services they will receive and will be able to take advantage of as MRU Alumni.
The event will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and they will be asking students to bring their ID so they know who stopped by. This session will only occur once a year. First year students who are interested in the bursary can apply online.
“Students get to give others the opportunity to go to school. They get to pay it forward,” says Struthers.
