Some of Brandon University's most committed supporters were recognized with heartfelt praises at the annual BU Foundation luncheon last week.
Donors to the BU Foundation heard directly from students who had felt the impact of their support, as well as from BU breast cancer researcher Dr. Mousumi Majumder.
"I am a student at heart. For as long as I can remember, I have loved absorbing the world around me and piecing it together like a puzzle," said third-year BU student Hailey Anderson, who has her sights set on law school, and who said that the scholarships and bursaries she's received helped her focus on her lessons.
"University life does not solely consist of studies and assignments. Life and school are expensive," she said to the assembled donors. "Without the financial awards I've been honoured to receive, my goals would seem much further away The example you set is not lost on us. You are playing a crucial role in fostering a community-oriented environment and imparting values of generosity on myself and my fellow students. I truly cannot thank you enough."
Fellow student Charles Adamu, an international student from Nigeria and two-term president of the BU Students' Union, also said that the donors who contributed to the scholarships and bursaries he received had made a significant personal impact.
"There's a wooden balcony behind my home in Brandon, and on it, a swing. On that day the day I received my first award I was on that swing, just thinking. A notification popped up on my phone, and I realized that I had actually won the award," he recalled. "I realized that someone unknown to me had seen my hard work and dedication and reached out to me, saying, You deserve to be recognized, and this journey you have started, you do not embark on it alone.'"
He said that feeling was deeply meaningful and that each student who receives support through donor contributions has a similar experience.
"Every student who has ever received an award has received not just money," he told luncheon attendees. "They have received understanding, motivation, recognition, and most of all, a realization that they are not alone in their journey."
Later, donor support for faculty research was also highlighted, with Dr. Majumder's heartfelt address. While speaking to the entire audience, she also addressed donors in the audience, Gerald and Carmen Butler, who had directly supported her lab, where she is researching ways to detect breast cancer through a simple blood test.
"Nothing can thank you enough when there are thousands of causes for you to choose from but you choose research," she said, adding that sometimes she needs to defend her proposals in front of big committees and waits to hear for months on end before knowing whether or not she'll receive funding. The Butlers, she said, were a startling contrast.
"You simply asked, What do you need?' and you made a decision in three minutes."
Dr. Majumder said the support had a multiplier effect, allowing her to give students essential hands-on lab experience, keep specialized machines running to do key work, and reach results faster.
"I cannot say how proud I am of the research program we are running at BU," she said. "Students are winning national and international accolades, and data is generated at the undergraduate and graduate levels at BU."
The luncheon followed the annual general meeting of the BU Foundation, and the approval of its 2024 Report, which showed steady disbursements to Brandon University, despite shaky markets.
Last year, the Foundation contributed more than $3.1 million to BU, which is about average for the past five years, although slightly down from the year before. Total donations to the Foundation increased slightly, to more than $1.8 million, and the total amount of assets under Foundation stewardship increased significantly, to more than $94.4 million.
"Contributions have a transformative impact on our students, and it is heartening to see the enduring commitment from alumni, community members, and friends," said Tilda Fortier, Chair of the BU Foundation Board of Directors. "Serving on the Foundation Board has given me a profound appreciation for the vibrant community at Brandon University. I am delighted to extend our deepest gratitude for your continued generosity and support."
The BU Foundation promotes the advancement of higher education at Brandon University, improving the quality of its facilities and activities. The annual luncheon is an opportunity to celebrate members of the Order of the Sheaf, which is an honour society to recognize those who have donated a total of at least $1,000, with stages of recognition that climb up to the multi-million-dollar level.
Donor highlights this year included the naming of the Gulliver Astronomical Observatory, the Bryant and Harder family's 30 years of committed giving to BU, and a big boost to the Class of '65 Scholarship-Bursary by alumni Anne and Mitch Taylor, who are celebrating six decades since their graduation.
The full annual report is available online at https://www.brandonu.ca/give/about/foundation/
Click here to see the BU Foundation luncheon photo gallery.
