Norm Daley is a name synonymous with giving back.
Daley has been a prominent figure in Kamloops since setting up accounting firm Daley & Company (now Grant Thornton LLP) in 1991. His involvement with hockey, baseball, curling and the arts is well known, and his giving history at TRU dates back decades. Today, his giving continues, but this time he’s asking for a little help from his friends.
TRU’s Bob Gaglardi School of Business and Economics and Daley have launched a $1 million endowment campaign to support students in the region. The Norm Daley Initiative invites 30 donors to contribute $35,000 each.
“For years, being in business, I have seen the benefits of having TRU within our community,” said Daley, who has employed many TRU alumni over the years. “With the cost of education and the cost of living today, these students need our help to ensure that we have people in the workforce moving forward.”
Each donation of $35,000 provides a scholarship or award of $1,400 every year to a student in the name of the donor’s family or business, or in honour of a person or organization of their choosing. Donors have input into award criteria, with priority on Canadian business students from the BC Interior. Donations can be pledged over several years and endowed awards will be maintained in perpetuity.
Award recipient Kirsten Zubak
While the initiative has only just begun, gifts have already been committed by seven donors and over $250,000 has been raised to date.
Dr. Michael Henry, dean of the Bob Gaglardi School of Business and Economics, says the impacts of this initiative will be far-reaching.
“Strong community connections are foundational to TRU Gaglardi, and we are deeply grateful to Norm for his leadership on this initiative,” said Henry. “This endowment will help make education more accessible for students in our region, ensuring they have the option to choose a business education that will prepare them to excel as leaders in their workplaces and communities.”
Daley’s generosity has already impacted many students at TRU, including business student Kirsten Zubak, who received the 2021 Daley Family Accounting Excellence Award.
“Receiving this award validates my choice in major and knowing that other people believe in my potential encourages me to work even harder to attain my goals,” she said. “Being able to use this award for my tuition means that I can focus on my future ambitions with less stress.”
With a fundraising goal of $1 million, this fund will open doors for local students and ensure they are supported for generations to come. To find out how you can contribute to the initiative, contact Alisa Coquet, executive director of development for Gaglardi and TRU World, at 778-220-8050 or acoquet@tru.ca.
