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Graham MacLachlan, RBC regional president of British Columbia and Harki Dhaliwal,
RBC senior commercial account manager present $10,000 to Kwantlen University College
Board of Governors chair, Kathleen Casprowitz and SPARK Foundation president,
Amarjit Samra. SPARK helps student transition from high-school to post-secondary.
For immediate release
February 7, 2008
RBC provides $10,000 to SPARK brighter futures for students
(SURREY, B.C.) The RBC Foundation is committed to making a lasting social impact through building strong community partnerships. A cornerstone of the company’s social responsibility program is supporting educational initiatives. One of these recently caught the attention of Harki Dhaliwal, RBC senior commercial account manager.
“I had the pleasure of attending the SPARK fundraising event along with 800 other guests and that’s where I saw the passion of the community for this program. I knew then that RBC had to be part of SPARK’s future,” said Dhaliwal.
The Kwantlen University College SPARK program is a unique approach to education and inclusion. A community partnership between Kwantlen, the Surrey school district and the SPARK Foundation, the program assists students with cultural, economic or social boundaries who would likely not graduate high school and continue on to post-secondary. Compared to Vancouver, with 30.5% of residents holding a university degree, Surrey ranks lower with 13.7% of residents being degree holders.
“SPARK is the first of its kind in Canada. By working closely with students, we ensure that any barriers to education that may exist are broken down,” said SPARK Foundation president Amarjit Samra. “Based on the success that we have experienced at Princess Margaret and Tamanawis Secondary schools, a pilot program has been launched for First Nation students. We have a great sense of pride that corporate partners like RBC choose to invest in Kwantlen programs like SPARK.”
By increasing the post-secondary participation rate within populations that do not typically pursue higher education, SPARK prepares students with training and job skills to enhance their employability and sustain economic growth. Students in Grade 11 are entered into first year university-level courses at Kwantlen University College and are mentored and provided scholarships through their Grade 12 year and into their entry into post-secondary.
This most recent donation by RBC is in addition to the more than $75,000 contributed to support Kwantlen students. “Providing educational opportunities to youth is critical to a community’s sustainability. In order to build economic prosperity, we have a responsibility to ensure that training and educational programs aimed at helping youth reach their full potential are made available,” said RBC regional president of B.C., Graham MacLachlan. “RBC is a leading corporate donor in Canada and we’re proud to support programs like SPARK that address community needs.”
The Kwantlen Foundation was established in 2000 and raises funds to create quality, life-long learning opportunities for Kwantlen students to achieve personal, social and career success. For more information or to make a donation, visit www.kwantlen.ca/foundation or call 604.599.2010.
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For more information, contact:
Jeff Norris
Executive Director
Kwantlen Foundation
Tel: 604.599.2264
jeff.norris@kwantlen.ca
OR
Christie Smith
Public Affairs, BC
RBC
Tel: 604.665.4043
christie.smith@rbc.com
OR
Audrey Wang
Manager, Communications
Kwantlen University College
Tel: 604.599.2385
audrey.wang@kwantlen.ca