Major donation wraps up campaign goal for South Georgian Bay Campus
April 14, 2016
When Georgian College opened its doors to its permanent location in South Georgian Bay in fall 2011, it was the culmination of a long-held vision to make education accessible to residents in the region. And it took a community to build.
The vision to grow the campus has been there for decades and finally turned into reality in 2010 when Georgian secured a building site. The fundraising campaign kicked into high gear in 2011 when the campus was named in honour of the man who gifted the land to Georgian – John Di Poce.
Di Poce’s gift started building momentum, and to date close to 55 donors have made generous contributions, including Gordon Canning, a South Georgian Bay resident and the former President and CEO of Blue Mountain Resorts. Today, Canning announced he was donating $80,000 to help the campus meet its $750,000 campaign goal.
Georgian College President and CEO MaryLynn West-Moynes says Canning’s gift brings the campaign full circle.
“Gord is a pillar in this community – well-loved and respected by many – and a champion of postsecondary education,” says West-Moynes. “Gord and his brother-in-law George Weider were both instrumental in Blue Mountain Resort’s initial $100,000 donation so Georgian could have a permanent home in the region. With this latest donation, we know the South Georgian Bay Campus will have a bright future.”
The South Georgian Bay Campus has doubled enrolment to close to 250 full-time students over the past five years and it is projected that growth will continue.
In addition to Canning’s $80,000 gift, he has also pledged a $25,000 endowment to support students from the South Georgian Bay area through awards and scholarships.
Canning says he was compelled to give back to the college because he too struggled to pay for postsecondary education as a youth.
“Like many in this area, I needed financial assistance to go to school and I can relate to the struggle of paying for college,” he says. “And I feel so privileged to be able to do this for others.”
Keitha Atkins, a mature student in the Office Administration – Medical diploma and Director of the Georgian College Students’ Association at the South Georgian Bay Campus says she wouldn’t have attended college at all if there wasn’t a local Georgian campus close by.
The long-time Wasaga Beach resident dropped out of high school at the age of 16 and toiled for years in low-paying jobs. When Georgian announced it was adding additional programs at a permanent location, she saw a chance to improve her life.
“My story is really just one of the many stories at the South Georgian Bay Campus. But one thing we all have in common is that we are grateful to have the opportunity to learn locally and achieve our individual goals,” says Atkins. “I know a lot of my classmates were in the same boat as me – working minimum wage jobs, many of us without the transportation or finances to move away to attend college. Having a campus located nearby has truly changed the lives of many people.”
Read more about the John Di Poce South Georgian Bay Campus and its program offerings.