Laurentian University Celebrates “The Next 50 Campaign”

March 28, 2013 – Laurentian University today celebrated the success of the most ambitious fund-raising campaign in its history. Launched as part of Laurentian’s 50th anniversary celebrations, “The Next 50 Campaign” set a fund-raising target of $50M to fuel the university’s growth and drive creativity, innovation and prosperity. The campaign has exceeded its goal and has raised more than $65.2M in private gifts alone excluding investments made by governments.

“The support shown for The Next 50 Campaign, both by members of the Sudbury community and donors across the country, has been quite extraordinary,” said Laurentian University President and Vice-Chancellor Dominic Giroux. “There is a growing awareness of the strengths of Laurentian’s signature programs, the expertise of its faculty, and the quality of its graduates. The university is clearly succeeding in its objective to build a national and international reputation for excellence.”

At each donor’s request, funds received in support of The Next 50 Campaign were earmarked for a variety of university projects and initiatives, including the Vale Living with Lakes Centre, the Centre for Excellence in Mining, expansion of the Ben Avery Centre, the Indigenous Sharing and Learning Centre, the Goodman School of Mines, student scholarships and bursaries and cutting–edge research and studies. The tremendous momentum the campaign has generated will allow Laurentian’s Development staff to continue to identify and engage new donors in support of the university’s strategic directions.

“The campaign has officially come to an end, but we will continue to move forward,” said Tracy MacLeod, Director of The Next 50 Campaign and Director of Development at Laurentian University. “I am extremely grateful to the dedicated group of campaign volunteers who have worked tirelessly as ambassadors to spread the word about Laurentian. Their passion has inspired me, just as it has inspired some of the country’s most recognizable corporate leaders and philanthropists to become champions for the university.”

“This campaign has truly captured the spirit of the university and excited the imaginations of some very generous people,” said Scott McDonald, Laurentian alumnus who successfully chaired The Next 50 Campaign from 2007 to 2011. “Each donation has brought us to the point we have reached today, and I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to all those who have supported The Next 50 Campaign, and to those who will continue to support Laurentian in the years ahead. We couldn’t have done this without you.”