Thompson Rivers University is going big, launching the public phase of the largest-ever fundraising campaign in the university's history.
Called Limitless, the campaign's goal is to raise $50 million by December 2020, coinciding with the year of the TRU's 50th anniversary.
To date, $41 million has been raised during the campaign's quiet phase.
"The power of education to changes lives is limitless. Education empowers our students on their way to greater futures, opens new worlds through research and builds better communities," said TRU President Brett Fairbairn, who announced the campaign's public phase this evening to more than 300 people gathered at TRU's House of Learning. Among them were students, donors, TRU staff and faculty, and other members of the community.
"Many of our supporters - new and old - have been with us through the past few years helping us to get to where we are today. Now we look to others in our communities to consider helping us surpass our $50-million goal," said Fairbairn, noting no amount contributed is too small.
The Limitless campaign consists of four pillars - key areas of focus where money will be directed:
- Supporting students establishes more scholarships and bursaries to open doors for more students and ease their financial worries so they can focus on their studies.
- Innovating for the future provides funding for more research initiatives. TRU's researchers, often in collaboration with businesses or organizations in surrounding communities, are exploring solutions to problems that affect people's lives, from land reclamation to retaining early childhood educators to justice for people with mental-health issues.
- Building capacity establishes better spaces on campus, enhancing learning experiences for both students and researchers. The new Nursing and Population Health building under construction is a prime example.
- Collaborating with community helps build more of the services and relationships that TRU has developed in all of the communities it serves.
Donors can direct their gifts to any of the four pillars above, and to sub-categories within those pillars. Information about the campaign and how to donate is available online at tru.ca/limitless.
