WINNIPEG, MB – University of Winnipeg President Lloyd Axworthy and his wife Denise Ommanney hosted a successful fundraising event Tuesday night, with the support of honourary co-chairs University of Winnipeg Chancellor Bob Silver and his wife Kim Silver. The inaugural “I Heart UWinnipeg” dinner on Tuesday, April 13, 2010 attracted more than 560 people and raised just under $40,000 to help students in need. Proceeds benefit UWinnipeg’s Opportunity Fund as well as the Wesmen Athletics Scholarships Fund and Alumni Scholarships.
During the dinner at Canad Inn Polo Park, several generous donors also stepped forward including Senator Donald Plett and Betty Plett, the Amadeus Steen Foundation, and Martin and Lisa Morantz to contribute a total of $60,000 to assist Indigenous students who will be attending a new Masters program at the University.
“The University of Winnipeg is assertively developing a broad-based community learning approach to education, which recognizes that everyone should have access to higher learning,” said Axworthy. “Our goal is to remove barriers that keep talented people from achieving their full potential. We could not fulfill this mission without the dedicated support of our valued partners.”
The University thanks the evening’s Gold Sponsor Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP, Silver Sponsor Bee-Clean, Bronze Sponsor BoomDoneNext, and Media and Prize Sponsors the Winnipeg Free Press.
At the dinner, the University launched the new UniverCity Club. Club members will help the University continue to offer accessible world-class education, revitalize the downtown and build safer communities. The UniverCity Club has three levels of participation: the Founding Level, the Building Level and the President’s Circle and each level has its rewards. For more information call the hotline at 204.415.2472 or email univercityclub@uwinnipeg.ca.
The University also promoted a way for Manitobans to donate without spending a dime. The University’s new toolbar, which is compatible with Mozzilla Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari, is a new way for the University to earn revenue. The University earns $1 for every person who downloads the University toolbar. After that each time you use the University toolbar to complete internet searches the University earns more money. Visit www.uwinnipeg.ca and click on “download The UWinnipeg Toolbar.” Then start searching!.
UWinnipeg also thanks the following corporate sponsors and individuals for their generous support:
Advance Electronics; The Great Promotional Products Company; Duff Family; Crosier Kilgour & Partners LTD; The University of Winnipeg Foundation; Wesmen Hockey Team Alumni; Imperial Parking Canada Corp.; John & Bonnie Buhler Foundation; Cangene Corporation; Sorrento’s on Ellice; MTS Allstream; Winnipeg Technical College; Peerless Garments LP; The University of Winnipeg Global College; Lisa and Martin Morantz; Amadeus Steen Foundation; Graffiti R Us; Follett of Canada & The University of Winnipeg Book Store; Canad Inns; Thermo Design Insulation Ltd; Deloitte & Touche LLP; Davian Construction Ltd.; Punjab Cultural Centre; mf.1; Horizon Insurance; Westwood Mechanical Inc.; Man-Shield Construction Inc. & Chartier Property Management Inc.; University of Winnipeg Faculty of Science; SI Alarms; LAFARGE; The Fabris-Milano Group Ltd. & Fabris and Watts Ltd.
Background on Funds
Opportunity Fund
The University of Winnipeg is committed to helping youth dream big. Since 2008, UWinnipeg has been able to offer more than 340 students fast-track bursaries thanks to generous donations to the Opportunity Fund. The fund is unique in Canada, set up specifically to offer financial support to students who are underrepresented on campus including Aboriginal students, young people from war-affected areas and refugee populations, and youth from inner-city neighbourhoods.
The goal of the Opportunity Fund is to create a $10 million endowment fund that will ensure that everyone, regardless of background and socio-economic status, has access to higher education. For more information, please contact the University’s Awards Office at 204.786.9458.
Wesmen Athletics Scholarships Fund
The University of Winnipeg provides financial support to many of its student athletes through the Wesmen Athletics Scholarships Fund. Student athletes may receive an award up to the value of their full tuition and compulsory fees. To make a donation or to obtain more information on the Wesmen Athletic Scholarship Fund please contact Doran Reid (Athletic Director) at 786-9817 or visit www.wesmen.ca
Alumni Scholarships
Up to 10 Alumni Entrance Scholarships of at least $5,000 each are presented every year to Manitoba high school students with exceptional academic standing, outstanding extra-curricular achievements and leadership potential. Each high school can nominate one student for these scholarships. Two $2,000 “Family of Alumni” Scholarships, exclusively for family members of University of Winnipeg graduates, are offered every year. For more information, please contact the University’s Awards Office at 204.786.9458 or visit www.UWinnipeg.ca and click on Awards and Financial Aid.
MEDIA CONTACT
Diane Poulin, Communications Officer
The University of Winnipeg
P: 204.988.7135
E: d.poulin@uwinnipeg.ca
