Mohawk College launches gift catalogue to help more students make it to graduation
People are offered the opportunity to fill a Mohawk student’s fridge or reduce their rent
The Mohawk College Foundation has launched a creative new fundraising campaign in an effort to lift some of the burden of expenses from students’ shoulders so they can focus on their studies.
The Give the Gift of Education catalogue is a direct response to the increased financial needs of Mohawk College students, providing an array of expense-related gift options. People are offered the opportunity to fill a Mohawk student’s fridge or reduce their rent. They can cover the costs of expensive textbooks or equipment for skilled trades training. There are also options to help cover the costs of tuition or lighten the load of student debt.
“Financial stress is a significant factor for many students who decide to abandon their studies,” says Ron McKerlie, President of the Mohawk College Foundation. “The Give the Gift of Education catalogue is a direct response to that reality.”
More than 8,500 Mohawk students relied on the Ontario Student Assistance Program in 2017/18, having received $75 million in grants and loans, with an average repayable OSAP debt load of $10,500 per year. That same year, the Mohawk College Foundation awarded 453 scholarships and 3,499 bursaries to students.
Mohawk College has made a renewed commitment to student success in recent years, creating more bursaries and scholarships for students, increasing awareness and access to financial awards, and developing more employment and co-op opportunities. The college has also established financial literacy programs to help students manage their funds wisely but financial instability remains a significant issue.
“Having a post-secondary education is a necessity for anyone wishing to find meaningful work that provides a good livelihood. Our goal is to ensure fewer students leave their studies as a result of financial hardship so they can complete of their education and find jobs,” says President McKerlie. “We have increased our efforts to address student financial stress and now we are turning to the community to help us do even more.”
The Give the Gift of Education catalogue is being distributed to Mohawk College alumni and donors as well as being distributed through The Hamilton Spectator and published online. For more information about the campaign or to make a gift, visit mohawkcollege.ca/gifts or call 905-575-1212, ext. 2186.
Mohawk College educates and serves more than 29,500 full-time, part-time, apprenticeship and international students at three main campuses in Hamilton, Ontario and learning hubs across Hamilton through City School by Mohawk, and at the College’s Centre for Aviation Technology at the Hamilton International Airport. Mohawk is among the top five colleges for applied research in Canada. It has been named one of Canada’s greenest employers seven years in a row, holds a GOLD STARS rating from AASHE for sustainability achievements and is home to the country’s largest and first institutional building to receive dual certification for Zero Carbon Building Framework design and performance for The Joyce Centre for Partnership & Innovation. More than 135,000 people have graduated from Mohawk since it was founded.