May 23, 2012
Power of Education fundraising campaign goal exceeded; new goal set to evolve entrepreneurship education opportunities
Students, staff, members of the community, as well as philanthropist Henry Bernick and his family, gathered at the Barrie Campus of Georgian College today to officially open the Henry Bernick Entrepreneurship Centre.
It was one of many exciting ribbon-cutting celebrations that have taken place at Georgian recently, as the college continues to grow and evolve its facilities and programs for the benefit of students and employers alike.
“Through the support of generous donors like Mr. Bernick, I am thrilled to announce that $40 million has been raised for the Power of Education fundraising campaign, allowing Georgian to progress and continue to offer the best possible education for our students,” said Brian Tamblyn, president and CEO of Georgian College. “Without the support of visionaries like Mr. Bernick and the rest of the community, it would not have been possible to move forward with the centre, or indeed many of Georgian’s recent accomplishments.”
Bernick, one of Barrie’s first land developers, donated $1.5 million to launch the centre and establish the Ontario college system’s first $1-million endowed chair.
Over the last six years, donors have helped the college build the Sadlon Centre for Health and Wellness and Centre for Sustainable Technologies at the Barrie Campus; new permanent campuses to serve students from the South Georgian Bay and Muskoka regions; and a Boating Centre for Excellence at the Robbert Hartog Midland Campus. Donors have also supported major technological upgrades to the Great Lakes International Marine Training and Research Centre at the Owen Sound Campus and donated millions of dollars to students directly through awards and scholarships.
More than 70 per cent of businesses in Barrie employ fewer than five people, and the same situation applies throughout the Simcoe, Muskoka and Grey economies. To encourage continued growth in this area, Tamblyn announced the launch of a second phase of the Power of Education campaign to raise another $25 million, with $20 million designated for entrepreneurship studies. The remaining $5 million will fund awards and scholarships and other key priorities.
Georgian’s donors are the best donors . . .
Georgian College donors contributed almost $9-million in financial gifts from April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2011. This generosity has had a major impact on our students’ ability to succeed through more awards and scholarships, leading-edge campus expansions and improvements and gifts-in-kind which include new technologies, tools and more. Georgian is extremely grateful to every individual, company and association for this support. Find out who supports Georgian.
