Leacross Foundation Donates $60,000 for Women in STEM Initiatives
Posted on Thursday, February 11th, 2021
On this day celebrating International Day of Women and girls in Science, Algonquin College is pleased to announce that the Leacross Foundation has donated $60,000 to support women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programs at Algonquin College. In total, Leacross has donated over $600,000 to Algonquin College over the past 16 years.
“The Leacross Foundation continues to be a strong supporter of promoting and enhancing opportunities for women in STEM-related fields,” said Mark Savenkoff, Vice President, Advancement. “Through their generosity and support, they are ensuring women have the tools they need to succeed in their chosen fields here at Algonquin, and we are thrilled they are leading the way to ensure female learners are set up to succeed.”
Students are grateful and appreciative of the donation. “The Leacross Foundation Bursary provided not only financial relief, but also mental relief, which directly affected my success in the career path I had ahead of me,” said Meredith Kucey, a 2014 recipient of the bursary. “I will be forever grateful for the generosity of the Foundation.” Kucey is a graduate of the Welding and Fabrication Techniques program. She merged her welding skills and creativity as a jeweler, with her Meredith Kucey Jewelry Design line.
These funds will support two goals; providing bursaries for women in the We Saved You a Seat program in financial need and purchasing take-home kits for female learners to support their remote learning activities.
The kits reduce the reliance of hands-on lab activities traditionally performed on campus and complements remote learning activities. Each kit includes essential tools for our learners to conduct their electrical experiments from home: a PC-based oscilloscope, a multi-meter, electronic parts, tools, a power supply, and circuit prototyping supplies.
We Saved You a Seat (WSYAS) is a program at Algonquin College that actively recruits and supports women pursuing education in STEM.
WSYAS aims to create an environment where women feel a sense of true belonging. WSYAS achieves this through active and intentional recruiting, building awareness with women about the value of STEM programs, connecting students to female mentors and equipping instructors to teach in gender inclusive classrooms.
The program serves to allocate 30 percent of available seats in Algonquin’s Electrical Engineering Technician, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Electro-Mechanical Engineering Technician, Computer Systems Technician, and Powerline Technician programs for women who meet admission standards.
To learn more visit: https://www.algonquincollege.com/future-students/we-saved-you-a-seat/
To read coverage about the donation in the Ottawa Business Journal click here.