WINNIPEG, MB – The University of Winnipeg today received a $25,000 donation to the Future Fund from both KPMG LLP and Austin Abas, Office Managing Partner KPMG LLP and a former UWinnipeg student, to support the Faculty of Business and Economics. The donation allows for a subscription to the Bloomberg terminal now located on the 4thfloor in the Buhler Centre, benefitting students like Igor Udovenko.
Igor Udovenko, 4th year Economics student, using the Bloomberg terminal
Udovenko is a 4th year Economics student who is also competing in the Chartered Financial Analysts Institute Research Challenge. His goal is to become an investment analyst when he graduates. “The Bloomberg terminal is actually an entire data service. It provides a large variety of data on asset prices, company information, market-based data and forecasts,” said Udovenko. “It helps me gather the information I need to be competitive by providing market changes by the second in real time for tens of thousands of securities.”
Prior to acquiring the Bloomberg terminal, UWinnipeg students and faculty depended on external sources for market-based data, not always readily available and accessible. Abas could see a need and stepped forward to assist.
“The Bloomberg terminal is a tool to gather information, and with that, create knowledge,” said Abas, who attended UWinnipeg for two years in the mid 1980s studying math and science. He would go on to get his business degree and then his CA. “I’ve always felt connected to UWinnipeg because I came from rural Manitoba and felt at home with the small classes and excellent professors who helped me begin my post-secondary education. My advice to today’s business students is – understand business trends and use social media to your benefit. That and work hard. Nothing replaces hard work.”
Donor and former UWinnipeg student, Austin Abas
“The Bloomberg terminal is another way to better prepare students for the workforce and will also be used for enhancing experiential learning in the classroom and student-faculty research activities” said Dr. Albert, the Dean of the Faculty of Business and Economics. “The University of Winnipeg is rather unique in its commitment to multi-disciplinary and pragmatic approaches to learning. We want and seek closeness to industry as we are continually striving for relevant programs and instilling early on a life-long learning approach for our students.”
FUTURE FUND – INVESTING IN EXCELLENCE
The goal of The University of Winnipeg’s Future Fund is to raise $15 million specifically to support academic excellence and innovation. It supports activities such as faculty research, academic enhancements and development, innovative programming, creation of Chairs and Fellowships, and specialized technology investments. The Future Fund also allows for enriched student and faculty experiences, gained through participation in national and international competitions, case studies, exchanges and conferences.
Last month, a $625,000 donation to the Future Fund by the Manitoba government and six Manitoba co-operatives (Federated Co-operatives Limited, The Co-operators Group, Credit Union Central of Manitoba Limited, Assiniboine Credit Union Limited, Arctic Cooperatives Limited, Red River Cooperative) is enabling the Faculty of Business and Economics to create Manitoba’s first Chair in Co-operative Enterprises.
Find out more about UWinnipeg’s Faculty of Business and Economics.
MEDIA CONTACT
Diane Poulin, Communications Officer, The University of Winnipeg
P: 204.988.7135, E: d.poulin@uwinnipeg.ca
