Durham College (DC) maintains a commitment to providing students in need with the financial aid necessary to succeed in pursuing their post-secondary education. As part of this commitment, DC hosted its annual donor and student reception on March 25 at the Whitby campus’ Centre for Food.

The donor and student reception is held annually to provide student award recipients the chance to meet their donors face-to-face and thank them for their assistance during their college journey. As well, the reception allows students and members of the community to share their personal stories and experiences at DC.

“The bursaries donated to Durham College provide much needed financial assistance to deserving students and enable Durham College to maintain a quality learning environment designed to help students reach their full potential and develop the skills required to meet the demands of today’s job market,” said Durham College President Don Lovisa at the reception.

More than $152,000 was donated toward DC-endowed bursaries for the 2013-2014 fiscal year. These bursaries were directed to students of any age, background or culture, with good academic standing, who because of a myriad of circumstances confronting them in a critical stage of their lives displayed a financial need. This included new bursary donations from TD Bank and the Durham Region chapter of the Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists.

At the reception, David Chambers, president of the Durham College Foundation and associate vice-president of the Durham College Office of Development, spoke of the immeasurable value of donations in providing students with the opportunity to focus on their educational goals.

“By creating an award, scholarship or bursary, these wonderful donors demonstrate that our students’ success matters,” said Chambers. “These contributions make a significant difference in the lives of recipients, allowing each of them to navigate their post-secondary experience confidently and worry-free.”

Students interested in applying for a donor award can do so through MyCampus. For more information on the Durham College Awards program and a listing of awards, please visit the Donor Awards page.