Laurier should appreciate philanthropy

There are a lot of misconceptions, sometimes even bitterness, among students or even young alumni about their university raising funds for its own cause. Even with tuition fees and government support, extra funding is essential for any academic organization to successfully thrive in today’s competitive and constant accelerating world. The Student Philanthropy Council aims to raise awareness of the impact of donations and help pave the way toward building a culture and understanding of philanthropy among Laurier students.

Last week, The Council put up 700 purple tags around the Waterloo campus to show how donations are used to enhance campus life for students. Some of the enhancements on campus funded entirely or partially by donations are the technology upgrades, library requisitions, the Alumni field and even the Career Service Centre. A lot of students also don’t know that tuition doesn’t cover the entire cost of attending Laurier. Along with government support, the remaining funds generously come from Laurier alumni, parents, faculty and other community members, who help ensure that we receive the best student experience. By investing in Laurier they also help maintain the value of Laurier’s education and reputation among other universities.

Before you question a university’s intention to raise additional funds try to imagine how your whole experience might have been different without the numerous donations from our Laurier community who give every year because they are proud of Laurier and want to invest in the future of its students.