Pathways Gala returns to raise money for students struggling to make ends meet
Medicine Hat College is preparing for its second annual Pathways Gala, June 10, in support of the Pathways Student Life Enhancement fund.
“Any student can access this fund; whereas a scholarship or bursary is more criteria-based,” explains MHC’s manager of fund development Linda Tooth. “This one is a fund available to all students to access who are facing a barrier which is causing them some financial concern.”
“We want the community to be aware this fund exists, and we want to eliminate barriers for students who are attending post-secondary,” adds MHC community relations officer Jenna Williams. “Last year was an introduction; this year is we learn what the fund is about ... With the gala, we want to educate the community about the costs associated with post-secondary education. Coming to school is more than just tuition or textbooks — it is rent, it is groceries, it is gas or a bus pass.”
“When we get students here at the college, we want to keep them here, and we want them to be successful,” stresses Tooth. “Sometimes life happens, and we want to be able to help them with that.”
This year’s gala event will include a champagne social for guests, and several studentfocused installations drawing attention to the troubles students have in getting a college education on a shoe-string budget.
“Guests will have the opportunity to support the Pathways fund via those installations in a representative way,” explains Williams. “For example, a guest may want to purchase a month of rent for a student for $500, which then goes toward the general Pathways fund. There is going to be options anywhere from a $100 all the way to fullride scholarship amounts for $25,000. This way, it makes all guests feel comfortable in their level of giving. You can get a charitable receipt for any of the giving you do at one of these installations.”
Tickets for the Pathways Gala are $100 each; half the cost of the ticket is tax deductible. All donations made during the event will be doubled through matching funds. To purchase tickets visit the MHC website at www.mhc.ab.ca/pathways.