More refugee students
Trent University commits to sponsor more refugee students
Trent University aims to increase its sponsorship for refugee students for the next school year in light of the recent migrant crisis in Europe.
The university launched Trent U Helps Tuesday, to raise funds to bring at least one additional refugee student to Peterborough for the start of the 2016 school year.
With support from the World University Service of Canada Student Refugee Program (WUSC SFP), Trent has sponsored one student refugee each year since 1983.
But in the wake of the refugee crisis overseas, Peterborough’s university wants to increase that number.
“We want to amplify that effort and set a goal of sponsoring four refugee students for 2016,” said Mike Allcott, Trent International Program director.
Allcott is spearheading the initiative, along with support from the Trent Central Student Association (TCSA) and the Trent International Student Association (TISA).
Sponsorship currently costs about $25,000 per student, with funding coming from a student levy of roughly $6 per student per year.
To bring over another three students, it’ll cost about $75,000.
That’s where the fundraising comes in.
The Trent U Helps pool is already off to a good start with Trent’s senior administrators donating nearly $7,000 in the last 24 hours.
And with $10,000 left over from a previous university fundraiser, Allcott said they’re well on their way to funding the second student.
“We’re going to reach out to faculty and staff and our community to increase the amount of money we have in the fund,” he said.
While Allcott said he’s aware the fundraising goal is a lofty one, Trent will do it’s best to hit the mark.
“It’s a dream. It’s an ambitious dream … but we’ll try.”
Donations to the Trent and WUSC initiative can be made online at https://mycommunity. trentu.ca/give-now or by cheque made out to Trent University, with WUSC Refugee Trust Fund written in the memo section.
NOTE: Trent uses the hashtag #TrentUHelps on social media and encourages community members to promote the campaign using the hashtag.