New NSCC campaign to provide financial support for students
Education just became a little more within everyone’s reach at Nova Scotia Community College, with the announcement on Thursday of the Make Way program.
President Don Bureaux announced to guests, students and stakeholders that as of Oct. 5, the Make Way campaign’s raised $21 million of a total goal amount of $25 million — all in support of students’ success at NSCC.
“Today, we are moving from what we call the quiet phase into the public phase,” said Bureaux. “We want to move to — and shoot past — that $21 million mark.”
The Make Way has one overarching goal: to assist NSCC students achieve success through a combination of student aid, new learning opportunities, instructional equipment and centres of expertise.
The campaign derives this support through local funding, and the aim for the campaign at the Pictou campus in Stellarton is to raise a total of $450,000. The campaign works with local partners to achieve its fundraising goals.
David Freckelton, principal of the NSCC Pictou campus, said, “we are launching a campaign to support our students and enhance our learning experiences — used in a number of ways to assist students in their learning journey,” which include bursaries and urgent aid for students in unforeseen crisis situations.
Thursday’s event at the Pictou Campus in Stellarton was one of 13 launch events that took place at campuses across the province.
The Make Way campaign will also entail the development of
programming that works closely with industry stakeholders, tailoring its course load to the changing needs of the industries for which it trains and educates employees.
Student association president Belinda Ingemansen expressed pride and excitement in the Make Way program, adding that collective student associations across the province have committed to donate $500,000 over the next five years.
“Our motto is to be at the heart of student life. A large part of this is to ensure students eliminate as many barriers as possible to achieve their dreams,” said Ingemansen. She added that the campaign seems to her a particularly helpful idea, because she, herself, struggled as a student, trying to find the necessary financial support to enrol in – and complete – her education.
“I wonder how many students have dropped out because of financial uncertainty?” Ingemansen said. “I wonder — who is struggling day in and day out, with the stress of paying bills and tuition? That is why I’m so proud to be a part of this and excited to see how the campaign will help.”
“The funds we raise will support and stay here,” said Freckelton. “We know that students face pressures — caused by family responsibilities, health problems or other life issues. The Make Way campaign will allow us to support and serve those students in a more efficacious way.”
Rob Sobey, chair of the Make Way campaign, said it was “a special day. We’re guaranteed to beat that 25 million dollar goal — and put the vast majority of it into the pockets of students.”
He added, “We’re happy to say that every dollar raised in each of the locations around the province stays at that specific campus.”
Information released from NSCC stated that in the 2016-17 academic year, the NSCC foundation awarded 1,000 scholarships and bursaries — which helped a total of 850 students.
That same year, the demand was far greater than the supply of aid, with 16,000 applications being sent in for awards that year. Make Way’s funds will provide more resources to support students.