The college’s Alumni Association has pledged one million dollars towards the construction of St. Clair’s proposed new Academic Tower, designed to house the explosive enrolment of the School of Business and Information Technology.
Association President Tom Malanfant announced the donation, spread over the next five years, during the June 26th meeting of the college’s Board of Governors (BofG).
The pledge towards the Tower’s construction cost will earn the association naming rights: the largest lecture hall (150 seats) in the new building will be designated as “Alumni Hall”.
“We want to help those who are students now because they are our alumni of the future,” Malanfant said.
Construction of the Academic Tower, to be erected atop the existing Student Centre, could begin at any time – as soon as the provincial government grants its approval of the college administration’s financing plans for the new building.
In its Annual Report presentation to the BofG, the Alumni Association noted that it has, over the preceding five years, donated approximately $1.2 million to major building and activity projects at the college, including co-funding of the new Saints eGaming team.
During the past academic year, also, it furnished student groups/clubs with $35,000 in funding for their projects and activities; contributed $150,000 to community events as a means of bolstering the college’s image; and spent $20,000 to “grow the engagement” of alumni. In 2017-18, it also spent $75,000 to stage Homecoming Weekend events in association with the college’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
New initiatives for 2018-19, according to Malanfant’s presentation to the BofG, include
• a recognition program for businesses and public-sector enterprises which employ a significant number of St. Clair grads;
• liaising with Skills Ontario for some joint promotional activities when that organization is presenting information about trades occupations (and competitions) to elementary and secondary school students; and
• lending fundraising support to the college’s Foundation to, somehow, develop a bursary system that could provide financial support to international students (because many of them are not currently eligible for such aid).
Speaking of the Foundation, that agency also presented its Annual Report to the BofG on June 26.
Foundation board President Charlie Hotham told the Governors that, in 2017-18, the organization provided scholarships and bursaries to 636 students, totalling $460,000.
Also, approximately 20 new scholarship donors connected with St. Clair this year.
