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Around 200 high school students will be introduced to new academic and career opportunities over the next three years thanks to a $200,000 gift from Scotiabank.

The Future Students’ Office at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) and the KPU Foundation worked with Scotiabank to develop the Scotiabank Strive Dual Credit Program to address a gap in existing provision.

Dual credit programs give high school students the opportunity to take courses that give them credits towards both the secondary and undergraduate post-secondary level. However, data shows persistent participation gaps in dual credit programs for Indigenous and racialized students, youth in care and students from low-income backgrounds. The ScotiaRISE grant enables KPU to remodel a traditional dual credit program to address these low participation rates.

As 2021 draws to a close there are many great things that we can reflect on and offer thanks to you, our donors.  For the past two years, we have all been faced with uncertainty and forced to pivot and change the way we function.  We have missed our face-to-face interactions with our donor community and as things have slowly reopened it has been great to reconnect.  

Our campuses have reopened, and we have transitioned back to in-person instruction in many cases.  Our students have demonstrated resiliency through these uncertain times and thanks to you, those with financial barriers were able to have their education continue without interruption.

We have many things to be grateful for from this past year and we are proud to be able to share these stories with you in our 2021 Annual Report to Donors.  

In this report you will meet the KPU Foundation’s new CEO, Randall Heidt.  You will hear from KPU’s Pro Tem Provost and Vice President, Academic, Dr. Diane Purvey regarding KPU’s progress on the 2023 Academic Plan, as well as from Dr. Deepak Gupta, Associate Vice President for Research and Innovation and Graduate Studies about donor impact on research capacity.  

Most importantly, you will learn more about the incredible impact of donor funded scholarships, bursaries, and awards for KPU students.  I am pleased to present you with the KPU Foundation’s 2021 Annual Report to Donors.  Thank you so much for your continued support.

Kwantlen Polytechnic University has renamed its business school to the Melville School of Business to recognize a historic donation from philanthropists George and Sylvia Melville. 

George Melville, who co-founded Boston Pizza International Inc., and his wife Sylvia are gifting $8 million to KPU over four years to create tremendous opportunities for students.

"Sylvia and I are very proud to be able to make this investment in the future of the KPU School of Business,” says George Melville, who served as KPU’s second chancellor from 2014 to 2020. “Our hope is that the Advanced Teaching and Learning Fund will enhance the educational experience for students for many years to come. There are also funds for scholarships and bursaries, which will make KPU’s excellent business program more accessible to students than ever before.”

A major donation from the Dr. Sherman Jen Education Foundation will allow Kwantlen Polytechnic University to expand its applied research capacity. The $3-million gift will also support students pursuing global studies.
 
Dr. Sherman Jen founded Maple Leaf Educational Systems in 1995, blending the western curriculum and teaching methods with traditional Chinese approaches to education. It has since expanded to 115 schools spanning preschool to high school with a student population of more than 46,000.
 
Dr. Jen’s innovative educational leadership has been recognized by both Chinese and Canadian governments. Dr. Jen has also been recognized for his services to education and to cross-cultural understanding.