THANK YOU DONORS!
The Barrett Family
A $5 million donation from The Barrett Family Foundation will give future Humber students the means to study in technology-related fields. The donation, the largest to the college to date, will be used to create an Access to Education and Skills Training Fund, as well as the creation of a new Technology and Innovation Centre.
Key features for the centre include an interactive demonstration floor, mobile technology lab, collaborative learning spaces, a hub to house maker spaces and skills competitions and applied research and development facilities.
“Working with Humber is a natural fit,” says Bob Barrett, president and CEO of Polytainers Inc. and co-founder of The Barrett Family Foundation. “Our organizations have many shared values and we’re both committed to providing students with an education that will lead to meaningful jobs. We … look forward to enhancing students’ experience and interaction with technology.”
The Barrett Family Foundation was established by Bob and his wife Francine to support educational, environmental and humanitarian causes, as well as health and the arts.
“Humber College is grateful to Bob and Francine Barrett and The Barrett Family Foundation for their visionary support to build a leading-edge platform for innovation,” says Audrey McKinney, Chair of the Humber College Board of Governors. “This exceptional gift will further strengthen the college’s reputation in applied technology and engineering. We truly appreciate this investment in our students and their futures.
Corporate Gift Recognizes the Value of Humber’s Media Programs
When a successful corporation recognizes your program with a generous financial gift, you know you are on the right track. NBCUniversal recently gave a substantial donation to Humber’s School of Media & Information Technology. The gift was used to create four sophisticated sound editing suites as well as install updated software in two larger media labs. This new technology gives students a real-world place to put into practice all they have learned in the classroom.
In addition to the practical benefits, Guillermo Acosta, dean, School of Media Studies & Information Technology says, “This donation says something very positive to our students about the future of our industry. It assures them they’re investing in a worthwhile endeavour.”
While not every corporation or business can give a major donation like NBCUniversal, Basil insists every contribution helps.
Financial gifts are used to create scholarships and bursaries for students who need a little help finishing their education. Many business people donate their time by volunteering on an advisory board or as a guest speaker. Other companies provide internships that give valuable on-the-job-experience for our students.
Thank you to NBCUniversal and to all of our corporate, small and medium sized business supporters. You are a critical foundation of our programs, providing real-world experience for our students.
Paul McCabe
Paul McCabe puts students first both in and outside the classroom. As the program co-ordinator of four of Humber’s hospitality programs and as a professor, he builds rapport with his students and prepares them for life in the workplace.
Outside the classroom, Paul helps to instill confidence in his students and lighten the load of those who are struggling. To accomplish this, he generously established an endowed student scholarship fund. “I think it’s very important that students are afforded a chance to overcome barriers,” says Paul. “Some students are in very difficult situations, so if we can help them to focus on their studies and have less worry over their finances, so much the better.”
Paul believes that providing support is more than just about lightening a financial load. “Being recognized for good work helps boost a student’s self-confidence and it’s a valuable addition to a resume,” he says. “When I see the looks on the recipients’ faces, I know these scholarships are making a world of difference.”
“It’s important that students are afforded a chance to overcome barriers.”
A Lasting Legacy
Heinz Fuhrmann arrived in Toronto in 1951 with $10 in his pocket and the dream of making something of himself in his new country. Born in Frankfurt, Germany, Fuhrmann was among the first wave of Germans who immigrated after the Second World War, and he saw Canada as a land of opportunity.
With a high school diploma and virtually penniless, he decided to get his auto mechanic’s license. Over the next 45 years, Fuhrmann built a business that eventually included his own very successful auto body shop and a fleet of six buses that he leased to various companies to host tour groups or shuttle people around the city. Through hard work and ingenuity, Fuhrmann had exceeded even his own dreams. When he sold his shop and retired in 1997, he was looking for a way to share his good fortune, and he and his wife decided a scholarship in his name was the ideal way to do that. “My husband was a great believer in education,” says his wife, Chris Kujus-Fuhrmann. “After the war, none of us in Germany could go to university – we had to go to work and do something to support ourselves. So Heinz always felt that anyone who had the intelligence and the desire to go to school should be able to go."
Unfortunately, Fuhrmann was in ill health, and passed away in 2002 before he had a chance to establish a scholarship. His wife picked up where they had left off and contacted his colleagues, who thought Humber College would be the perfect fit. The Heinz Fuhrmann Memorial Scholarship was established in 2007 and is awarded to Industrial Design students who are specializing in automotive design. Applicants must also demonstrate financial need and have exceptional grades. Marc Andre Cardinal was the recent scholarship winner. “In my first two years of school I had to work part time, which was hugely stressful,” he says. “The scholarship helped me with rent and also covered the cost of materials for our projects. I didn’t have to take on an outside job in my last couple of years, so I could focus on school.” That focus has paid off; the 21-year- old, who graduates this spring, has landed a job at Jatco, a plastics design and manufacturing company in San Francisco, where he’ll be heading up the design team. Chris Kujus-Fuhrmann knows her husband would be very proud. “It was part of his upbringing to give back to the community, especially to young people who have the drive and desire that he had,” she says. “He was very inventive and wanted to support students who share this attribute.”
Peter and Kathie Viner
When Peter and Kathie Viner decided to make a financial gift to a well-deserving organization, they wanted their donation to have both personal meaning to them and the capacity to truly make a difference in someone’s life. Both Peter and Kathie have spent their working lives in the field of media and communications and so a scholarship in Humber’s media and journalism programs seemed the perfect fit.
“We see from the interns and graduates we hire in the media industry that Humber students are well-educated and ambitious,” says Peter. “No one deserves help more than these students who are skilled and on their way to successful careers.”
Like Peter and Kathie, many individuals and companies are proud to support Humber’s talented students but there continues to be a need for support. “If you’ve been successful in your career, you have the opportunity to give back and help someone,” says Peter. “Even one scholarship can help a young person achieve their goals.”
“If you’ve been successful in your own career, you have the opportunity to give back.”
Never Stop Learning
A diverse career, countless contributions to society and a passion and talent for teaching – you could call Dr. Dan Andreae Super Professor. He doesn’t wear a cape or leap tall buildings, but the award-winning instructor has taught a total of 45 different subjects in several different universities and colleges. He continues to motivate and inspire his many students, recently making a significant gift to Humber College in support of student success. Andreae has always been interested in learning, and completed an undergraduate degree in psychology at York University, then completed a Masters in Social Work at Wilfrid Laurier University. “Social work was an evolution for me,” he says. “I saw it as a way to do things on the ground – to make a difference to individuals and families within their social context.” After a brief stint working in municipal and federal politics, Andreae became executive director of a small health education organization which launched the National Eating Disorder Centre at Toronto Hospital. From there, he was challenged with leading the Alzheimer Society as it transitioned from a volunteer-driven charity to a professional organization. During his time with the Alzheimer Society, he took a six-month leave in order to lead the charge to make social work a regulated profession in Ontario. As it happened, the process took 10 years, involving three governments and seven Ministers of Community and Social Services. Along the way he completed a doctorate in education (EdD) at the Ontario Institute of Studies in Education and moved into a career in postsecondary teaching. Recently, Andreae completed a second doctorate of science (D.Sc), specializing in neuroscience, and graduated cum laude. Andreae has taught subjects from introductory psychology to globalization and bioethics. He received a Distinguished Teacher Award from Renison College in 2005, and was twice named the University of Guelph-Humber’s Faculty of the Year as well as the recipient of the Faculty Mentoring Award. “I treat students as human beings with aspirations, dreams, fears and doubts,” he says. “I respect them and support them. I try to make new knowledge understandable and practical.” Recently, Andreae established a $250,000 endowment in Humber’s School of Liberal Arts & Sciences to fund student scholarships. “I’ve been associated with Humber for 20 years and watched it grow in size and sophistication. I’m impressed with the institution and what it’s trying to do.” The endowment will fund three scholarships every year – one for a student who has overcome challenges, one studying psychology and one for a mature student. Andreae believes the liberal arts are an important training ground for any career. “They provide a process for analyzing and solving problems, and help students move from factual knowledge to understanding.” Appropriately, his gift was recognized by the naming of the Dan Andreae Math & Writing Centre, a place where students can receive extra academic support. Andreae also gives generously to other charities. His support for research into cornea cell transplantation helped a young man recover his sight and pursue a medical degree. He has received the June Callwood Award for inspirational leadership in the voluntary sector, the Champion of Change Award for his work to advance Alzheimer education and an honorary Doctorate of Laws from Assumption University to recognize his contributions to health care. Andreae is a strong proponent of lifelong learning. His advice to students about to enter the ‘real world’ reflects his own rich and diverse experience. “Life is a journey, full of ups and downs. Look for balance and be open to new possibilities. Respect and take care of yourself. Be curious. And never stop learning!”
A Lasting Tribute
Receiving a scholarship can help turn a student’s goals into reality. Tuition is just the start. Add in the cost of books and supplies, as well as living and transportation expenses, and someone who lacks funds or has family obligations can face formidable challenges to achieving their aspirations. But financial obstacles shouldn’t stand in the way of a student’s education, says Julie Castle, Humber’s chief advancement officer. “Scholarships can have a significant impact, helping lighten students’ budgetary burdens and recognizing their hard work and talents.” For the family of Laura Masella, establishing a scholarship in her name seemed the ideal way to honour the memory of a woman who loved teaching. A well-respected professor of law in The Business School, Masella was just 51 when she died of cancer in April 2009. Her family established the Laura Masella Memorial Scholarship to be awarded each year to a student enrolled full time in either the school’s Law Clerk program or Paralegal Education program and who has demonstrated academic excellence and extracurricular leadership. The 2010 recipient was Christie McKeown. After eight years in the workforce, she made the major decision to leave a full-time job and return to school to pursue a career in law. She enrolled in Humber’s Law Clerk program and to focus on getting good grades, McKeown decided not to work part time during the school year. She attained top marks, but at the cost of accumulating significant debt. Despite this mounting pressure, upon graduation, McKeown enrolled in the Paralegal Education program. With another year of school ahead of her, the scholarship gave her a timely boost. And its impact went far beyond the monetary value. “To me, a scholarship is a concrete way of demonstrating that you are valuable to the workforce,” she says. “This scholarship has definitely reinforced my self-confidence.” For Laura Masella’s family, the true value of their gift lies in the meaning and purpose it gives to her life. Tony Masella says that as a lawyer his sister wanted more than just the business side of practicing law. At Humber, she’d found the ideal outlet for her skills and expertise. “Laura loved teaching the theory and principles of law,” her brother recalls. “With this scholarship, we can help support students who share her passion for the law for years to come. For a teacher, I can’t think of a better way to honour a legacy. For our family, it means a great deal to have an opportunity to keep her memory alive.”
An Anniversary Gift That Lasts
Fifty years of business is an accomplishment in itself, but one of Humber’s long-standing annual supporters has chosen to share that success with students in the college’s Funeral Service Education program. Guaranteed Funeral Deposits of Canada (GFD) is an independent, non-profit association of funeral professionals and experts in the field of preplanning funerals. For many years, they have had strong ties with Humber’s program, with their board of directors all Humber graduates and its 356 members all virtually Humber alumni. GFD also has a tradition of philanthropy by funding an annual $1000 award to a student graduating from the Funeral Service Education program. To celebrate their milestone, GFD has taken a significant step in enhancing its financial contribution and has endowed a new scholarship. In doing so, they have created a lasting legacy for Humber students and the funeral service industry. Through a great spirit of generosity, GFD and its members contributed $25,000 to establish the Guaranteed Funeral Deposits of Canada Scholarship. The endowed scholarship will be awarded annually to a Humber student who displays academic excellence, extracurricular leadership and financial need. “We knew that by giving $25,000, it would be matched by the provincial government’s Ontario Trust for Student Support,” says GFD president and CAO, Harry Renaud. “The resulting $50,000 is a meaningful way to celebrate our 50th milestone.” Adding to the impact of this significant gift, enhanced government matching support was received, bringing the total of the endowment to $65,000. The donation is invested and kept intact, while the income it generates each year will fund the scholarship for years to come. “Humber has an excellent program and establishing a scholarship just makes a lot of sense,” says Renaud. “It’s important for our industry to have a strong relationship with the college and support those who will one day join us in the work we do.”