Embark Student Foundation grants $500,000 towards new Indigenous Student Success Pathways project

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A group of indigenous students seated on rocks in an outdoor classroom.

Advancing a more equitable and diverse college

A transformative $500,000 major grant from the Embark Student Foundation to Niagara College’s Together Campaign is reshaping the educational experience for Indigenous students at Niagara College.

This historic gift, the largest ever for Indigenous education at the College, has launched the Indigenous Student Success Pathways Project and supports students from their first day of studies through to graduation and into their careers.

A key pillar of the Together Campaign is to advance a more equitable and diverse college, and Embark’s gift significantly enhances Niagara College’s ability to advance its commitment to Truth and Reconciliation and provide supports and pathways for underrepresented groups.

“We are deeply appreciative of the Embark Student Foundation’s generous contribution,” said Leah Hogan, Director, Indigenous Education, and member of the Oneida Nation of the Thames (Bear Clan). “This funding enables us to implement a tailored support system that will greatly benefit our Indigenous students and align with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.”

The Indigenous Student Success Pathways Project enhances the academic experience and career readiness of Indigenous students by facilitating:

  • Learning Strategists: These professionals offer personalized academic support, including assistance with essay writing, study skills, and addressing individual learning needs, to ensure students receive the guidance necessary to succeed academically.
  • Employment and Co-op Specialists: These specialists focus on preparing students for the workforce by providing résumé and interview coaching, as well as facilitating networking opportunities with potential employers to help students gain practical experience and secure employment after graduation.
  • Cultural and Community Initiatives: The program includes initiatives that foster cultural connection and community engagement, such as land-based learning experiences and events designed to build a supportive campus environment for Indigenous students.
  • Targeted Recruitment: A vehicle wrapped in Indigenous art is being used for recruitment and outreach, traveling to remote communities to promote the program and create a welcoming presence for potential Indigenous students.
  • Emergency Financial Support: To address the financial barriers that can impact students’ education, the project provides emergency funds for essential expenses such as specialized equipment, textbooks, parking, and other costs.

“We are so proud to support the Indigenous Student Success Pathways Project at Niagara College and directly invest in a more equitable future,” said Andrew Lo, CEO at Embark. “This project will provide Indigenous students with the tools and resources they need to succeed along their post-secondary journey, helping even more students and families realize their dreams through education.”

In late 2023, Niagara College submitted a proposal to the Embark Student Foundation Major Grant Program, which offers annual grants of $250,000 to $500,000 to diverse educational institutions across Canada to improve access and foster student empowerment. This year, the program awarded $2.7 million to seven institutions, including Concordia University, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, Toronto Metropolitan University, University of Lethbridge, University of Toronto, and Vancouver Island University, for their exceptional projects.

Notably, Niagara College is the only college among the recipients, highlighted for its inclusive and forward-thinking approach to supporting Indigenous students.

The Indigenous Education Department supports students through culturally appropriate teachings, academic guidance, leadership opportunities, community referrals, and assistance in navigating the college system. Committed to honouring Indigenous ways of knowing, doing, and being, programs like MPOWER help Indigenous students transition to post-secondary education, while trips like those to Coast Salish Territory provide immersive land-based learning opportunities about Truth and Reconciliation.

Cultural events, including Indigenous History Month, Red Dress Day, and the Moose Hide Campaign invite the broader community to learn about these significant social issues and foster healing and collective action. The College also celebrates Indigenous student achievements at events such as the Indigenous Student Awards Banquet and through the Dr. Phyllis Webstad Indigenous Scholarship.

“The Embark Student Foundation’s commitment to supporting student success throughout their post-secondary journey aligns perfectly with the objectives of the new Indigenous Student Success Pathways Project,” said Gord Arbeau, Vice President, Advancement. “We are extremely grateful for Embark’s strong commitment to the success of Indigenous students.”

The College’s Together Campaign is a multi-year $50 million fundraising campaign. In addition to creating equitable and diverse learning environments, the campaign also seeks to address the healthcare crisis and the skilled trades crisis, make college education more accessible, equip graduates with cultural awareness and global competencies, and foster research, creativity, and innovation to help close Canada’s productivity gap.

Community partners and donors are invited to learn more about the important priorities of the Together Campaign by visiting niagaracollege.ca/together. Discover how you can support this and other worthwhile initiatives by getting involved.

Message from President Kennedy: NC launches Together, our largest-ever fundraising campaign

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President Sean Kennedy

I’m pleased to share that at our successful Renaissance Gala on April 6, Niagara College announced the largest fundraising campaign in our history to a sold-out crowd of more than 700 business and community leaders and supporters.

The Together campaign will raise funds to support new and expanded facilities outlined in our Master Plan, student access, diverse and inclusive learning environments, global competencies and perspectives, and productivity and innovation. The multi-year campaign, which aims to raise $50 million, is built on six pillars: solving the skilled trades crisis, solving the healthcare crisis, empowering students to achieve their dreams, advancing a more equitable and diverse college, graduating tomorrow’s global citizens, and closing Canada’s productivity gap.

The Together campaign recognizes our unique position to lead economic, social and cultural development and innovation in our community. Niagara College educates highly skilled and knowledgeable graduates and the campaign also seeks to engage more of our 120,000-plus alumni, who are making a difference in Niagara and around the globe.

We know that we can’t do this work alone. The Together campaign calls on our community to join us in embracing this historic opportunity to build a successful Niagara.

The Together campaign was launched at the successful Renaissance Gala on April 6. The annual gala, Niagara College’s premier fundraising event, has raised more than $3.5 million in support of student success over its 32 year history.

Already, the campaign has generated significant support, including three transformational gifts announced at the Gala:

  • The Joyce Family Foundation has provided an exceptional gift of $1.5 million to create the Joyce Family Foundation Healthcare and Skilled Trades Bursary program at Niagara College. The program will provide tuition and ancillary costs for several skilled trades, nursing and healthcare students through a bursary that is renewable for each year of the recipient’s program of study. This transformational bursary fund will exist in perpetuity, and directly support the urgent need for more frontline healthcare workers and skilled tradespeople.
  • The McCall MacBain Foundation has provided a generous gift to launch the ConfideNCe program, a student-focused and trailblazing initiative that will address anxiety and stress for students in applied health programs, while also providing new resources to help these students’ success after graduation. This gift will help to graduate more nurses, personal support workers and paramedics.
  • The Embark Student Foundation has provided a generous gift of $500,000 to help launch the Indigenous Student Success Pathways project, which aims to embolden Indigenous students and support their education and career aspirations before, during and after their postsecondary studies. Embark selected Niagara College as one of only seven inaugural postsecondary recipients across Canada, and its gift represents the College’s largest single philanthropic gift in support of Indigenous education. The gift will contribute directly to developing opportunities for Indigenous students and forwarding calls to action related to Truth and Reconciliation at Niagara College.

You can learn more about the Together campaign or contribute here. I encourage you to explore the projects and initiatives that this campaign will support as we look forward, together.