The power of community
You broke records once again! Giving Day 2023 brought together nearly 2,600 alumni, students, faculty, staff and friends to raise more than $2.5 million. Together, we鈥檙e saving and improving lives through research, bringing new ideas and technologies to market with a growing innovation ecosystem, and empowering the next generation of leaders with an exceptional student experience.
Read on to explore how some of our Giving Day-supported ventures are already making a difference across campus and in the community.
Connecting the Innovation Dots
Thanks to the generosity of alumni and community members supporting the Connecting the Innovation Dots fund at the Haskayne School of Business, more students 鈥 from across all faculties 鈥 can access invaluable experiential-learning opportunities that help them hone their critical-thinking skills.
Giving Day 2023 Leaderboard
Community is at the heart of Giving Day, and these three funds, driven by community champions, led the pack with the most donors.
You are enriching the student experience
Your support of extra-curricular and experiential-learning opportunities is opening doors for students, enabling them to gain hands-on experience and make valuable connections.
They were able to make it through the first year and they鈥檙e both doing really well now. (The student peer tutoring program) is a really successful and important initiative.
Divya Chawla
Faculty of Law student and peer tutor
You are advancing game-changing research
By investing in one of Canada's top research universities, you鈥檙e driving breakthroughs that have far-reaching impact, saving and improving lives here and around the world.聽
![libin](/live-uc-ucalgary-site/sites/default/files/styles/ucws_sidekick_cta_offset_desktop/public/2024-02/CSM_LIBIN-1.jpg?itok=FIZvG3Nn)
Libin Precision Medicine Initiative
For Giving Day 2023, Canadian Pacific Kansas City railroad further matched donations to the Libin Precision Medicine Initiative. With these funds, critical infrastructure was obtained to expand the cardiac data pipeline and support the ongoing transfer and storage of cardiac data that will be used to design tools and models to improve patient outcomes.聽
We are extremely grateful for the unflagging support of the community. Philanthropy is truly a catalyst for innovation and improvement in patient outcomes.
Dr. Paul Fedak, Director, Libin Cardiovascular Institute
Kelp research support
Kelp provides food and protection for marine species, regulates water temperature, absorbs carbon dioxide and helps prevent coastal erosion 鈥 but up to 95 per cent of the kelp in North America has disappeared in recent years. 鈥淒onations support an initiative that directly involves students and allows them to contribute to hands-on research,鈥 says Dr. Sean Rogers, PhD, director of the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre. 鈥淐ontributions provide students with equipment. Just last year, that allowed us to purchase a kelp incubator, a critical piece for kelp forest restoration.鈥
You are empowering tomorrow鈥檚 leaders
Your gift towards scholarships helps us attract some of the best and brightest students to UCalgary 鈥 students who go on to enrich our community.
I will utilize my passion, knowledge and experiences to empathize, advocate, and enhance the health and welfare of Indigenous Peoples and others from all walks of life.
Sharissa Robles, MD student
Dr. Michelle Hucul Indigenous Student Leadership Award recipient
You are helping students reach their full potential
By supporting bursaries and emergency-assistance programs, you are helping ease the financial burden on students who most need it 鈥 and when they need it most 鈥 so they can focus on their studies.
![Nursing students rallying](/live-uc-ucalgary-site/sites/default/files/styles/ucws_image_3_2_desktop/public/2024-02/NURSING.jpg?itok=3kctyHAj)
Faculty of Nursing Power in Numbers Fund
Nursing students in need can count on for emergency assistance. 鈥淚t takes courage to say, 鈥業 need help,鈥欌 says Dr. Zahra Shajani, BN鈥02, EdD, associate dean. Barriers to access help are minimal by design, says Shajani. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e already in crisis, so they don鈥檛 have to explain themselves 鈥 that just makes them more vulnerable." And the impact is clear 鈥 students are getting help. 鈥淓specially the ones that are single moms trying to juggle school and kids, just trying to survive.鈥
![photograph of Chemical Engineering Class of 1998](/live-uc-ucalgary-site/sites/default/files/styles/ucws_image_3_2_desktop/public/2024-02/SCHULICH%204_1.jpg?h=f0f91fe9&itok=JDon49tk)
Chemical Engineering Class of 1998 Bursary聽
Gathering for their 25-year reunion last year, Chemical Engineering Class of 1998 alumni Neil Bosch, Basil Perdicakis, both BSc (Eng)鈥98, and Paul Ringrose, BSc (Eng)鈥98, MBA鈥07, decided to create a student award 鈥 one that will live on in perpetuity thanks to the generosity of fellow alumni. The bursary supports up-and-coming chemical engineers, going annually to a student demonstrating financial need and academic merit. 鈥淲e鈥檙e super-proud and it鈥檚 really important for us,鈥 says Bosch.
Everyone鈥檚 been so successful (in their careers) that it just made so much sense to give back and invest in the leaders of tomorrow.
Neil Bosch, BSc (Eng)鈥98
You are connecting the community
The 杏吧视频 is a university for Calgary, and your support helps us expand and strengthen community connections that benefit us all.聽
It takes a community to drive extraordinary impact here at the 杏吧视频 鈥 students, researchers, educators, staff, entrepreneurs and you. With your generous support, we鈥檙e driving innovation, nurturing talent and advancing research, working together today to create a brighter tomorrow.
Dr. Ed McCauley, PhD
President and Vice-Chancellor