Island university’s supporters contribute $52,236,859 to build a legacy

At a public celebration to mark the accomplishments of the most ambitious private-sector fundraising campaign in the University of Prince Edward Island's history, President Wade MacLauchlan thanked UPEI's supporters for contributing a total of $52,236,859, well above the campaign's $50 million target.

"This Campaign has been an exhilarating effort," said President MacLauchlan. "The most impressive result is that we have done it ourselves; more than 90 per cent of the giving to the Campaign has come from people with long-time, close associations with UPEI and PEI. This spectacular achievement has come from our own hearts and pockets, and from our commitment to build a legacy through a great university.'

The Building a Legacy campaign was launched in April 2003. Since then, more than 250 new undergraduate and graduate student scholarships and awards have been created. UPEI has strengthened its support programs for student success through services such as the Webster Centre for Teaching and Learning. Access to electronic library resources has substantially increased, and student health and wellness programs have been expanded. In addition, major academic and research facilities have been upgraded or replaced, including extensive renovations of the Duffy Science Centre, construction of a new School of Business and Centre for Life-Long Learning, and extensions to the Atlantic Veterinary College.

Matthew Morrison, Student Union Vice-President, summarized the impact of donor support this way: 'Every UPEI student has benefitted. Every year we have enjoyed major improvements in programs, facilities, and services that have made a real difference to the quality of our education, and provided a real boost to our sense of pride in UPEI.'

Fred Hyndman, chair of the first phase of the Building a Legacy campaign, and the current chair of the UPEI Board of Governors, thanked the dedicated volunteers whose combined efforts were integral to the campaign's success. Hyndman offered a special tribute to the thousands of private individuals who have shown their commitment to university education in Prince Edward Island through their generous gifts.

'Every donor to our University in the past, the present, and the future, can take pride in every student achievement, every research discovery, and every campus improvement,' said Hyndman. "As we move forward, UPEI will continue to attract, and will require, continued donor support to enable our Island university to do extraordinary things.'