{"id":71181,"date":"2021-03-17T09:49:46","date_gmt":"2021-03-17T13:49:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/?p=71181"},"modified":"2021-03-17T16:12:07","modified_gmt":"2021-03-17T20:12:07","slug":"board-of-trustees-supporting-brock-students-through-impact-fund","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/2021\/03\/board-of-trustees-supporting-brock-students-through-impact-fund\/","title":{"rendered":"Board of Trustees supporting Brock students through Impact Fund"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bill Rickers (BA \u201977) remembers being a student and can only imagine what his Brock University experience would have been like had the COVID-19 pandemic hit when he was in school.<\/p>\n

The University Board of Trustees member is a partner at Crawford, Smith and Swallow Chartered Professional Accountants and has learned first-hand what the past year has been like from the Brock co-op students working for him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI appreciate how difficult it is for them in part because I know how difficult it would have been for me,\u201d said Rickers. \u201cWhen I was attending Brock, the ability to attend lectures and interact with my fellow students was really integral to my Brock experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

While many Board of Trustee members like Rickers are able to support students through work placements and job opportunities, a Board committee led by Rickers also launched the Board of Trustees Impact Fund in early 2020 as a way to assist students through personal donations trustees are making.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a Board, we\u2019re always looking for other ways to support the University and it occurred to me that this would be a relatively easy way to do that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

At the time of its launch, the trustees had no idea just how important their contributions would become. Today, that fund is being used to support the COVID-19 Emergency Bursaries, student mental health services, food security and other areas.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a clich\u00e9, but giving is far more rewarding than receiving,\u201d said Board of Trustees Chair Gary Comerford. \u201cI get so much enjoyment out of giving \u2014 whether it\u2019s time or financial resources \u2014 than probably anything. I can\u2019t think of a better place to spend my giving donations than to further education. It can benefit our students, the community and society in general.\u201d<\/p>\n

Comerford said Board of Trustee members \u2014 who represent a wide range of sectors and backgrounds \u2014 were invited to donate whatever they\u2019re comfortable.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt really is a manifestation of the commitment of trustees to the success of the University,\u201d he said. \u201cIt reinforces the idea of giving back to the community. We can all give back in different ways. For some it\u2019s money and for others, it\u2019s time.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Rickers, the contributions from trustees also reinforces that the Board, like Brock itself, is student-focused.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt really does reflect the reality of how important our students are to the members of the Board,\u201d he said. \u201cSometimes the Board, by its nature, is perceived as being business-like and financial- or data-driven, but the empathy and concern the Board feels for students is real.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gord Arbeau, Associate Vice-President, Advancement and External Relations, said the University is grateful for the ongoing, generous support of the Board.<\/p>\n

\u201cOver the years, a defining characteristic of Brock is that we have been so well-served by a community of volunteers who provide superb leadership in many ways,\u201d Arbeau said. \u201cOur trustees generously commit their time and expertise to help advance Brock. The donations to the Impact Fund are one more way our community helps one another.\u201d<\/p>\n

The five-year Brock Trustees Impact Fund will support the following key priorities:<\/p>\n