This evening, 408 TRU students joined 229 donors at the TRU Annual Awards Ceremony, held at 5:00 pm in the Grand Hall.
At the ceremony, donors met the student recipients, who, in turn, had the chance to thank their benefactors for contributing to the $291,000 handed out at the ceremony.
This figure, a portion of the grand total of $1,131,000 to be awarded to TRU from all sources this year, represents an increase of $94,000 over last year’s total and is the largest amount given out in the history of the Foundation.
The increase is due to new annual awards and endowment funds established by donors.
“Thanks to the generosity of Foundation donors, TRU’s outstanding students and students with financial need can gain monetary awards to help them with the cost of tuition, student fees, books, supplies and other educational expenses,” said TRU President and Vice Chancellor Roger Barnsley.
Students won’t have to wait long for the rest of the million plus to be handed out.
On November 29th, the Foundation will hold its “unrestricted ceremony” where Foundation Board and Society members give out $179,000 to approximately 266 students.
At various times throughout the 2005/06 academic year, the TRU Board of Governors will award $450,000 in bursaries and entrance scholarships in the 2005/06 academic year.
The Foundation’s slogan is ‘Building our Future,’ and we are making a difference by providing financial assistance to over 1,000 students each year so they can achieve their potential to become leaders in our community and throughout the country,” said Foundation Annual Campaign Chair Paul Wright.
“Each year we receive hundreds of thank-you cards from students who have benefited from receiving a financial award through donors to the TRU Foundation, and we get great satisfaction in knowing we have an impact by helping students realize their dreams.
“Our goal is to leave no student behind. We want to be able to help every worthy student. The TRU Foundation is an important part of the university and our donors play an important role in the success of Thompson Rivers University,” he said.
The TRU Foundation’s Board of 16 directors and the volunteer society made up of an additional 55 community leaders, work diligently to raise over $1 million per year for student awards, program needs and special projects at TRU.
To make a donation to the TRU Foundation, to find out more about creating a student award fund or to establish a planned gift or legacy to TRU, please call 828-5264.
Opportunities for interviews with award donors, student winners, and the campaign chair will be available after the ceremony. Please contact Karen Gamracy (371-5715 or by email.
