September 2006 ISSUE
FOUNDATION UPDATE
Self-Sufficiency Critical to Increasing Scholarships
BY ASHOK SEHGAL, P.ENG.
APEGGA Education Foundation
The summer of 2006 has gone by and I hope everybody had an opportunity to
enjoy the season.
The APEGGA Education Foundation supports a wide range of scholarships enhancing
the education of students in engineering, geology and geophysics. Last year we
awarded $93, 000 to students in these fields.
We look forward to a similar scholarship distribution for Alberta students in post-secondary education for the 2006-2007 academic year.
Foundation President Andy Gilliland, P.Eng., presented our business plan to the APEGGA Council meeting in June. This plan is designed to increase our capital base over the next three to five years.
If this plan is successful, it will allow the foundation to become financially self-sufficient, and provide the opportunity to expand our scholarship and outreach activities. We hope that Council will confirm its long-term commitment to the foundation by deciding to enhance our capital base.
We have and continue to enjoy substantial financial and administrative support from APEGGA; last year the Association’s contribution amounted to $187,000.
I would also like to acknowledge a major gift of $27,000 from Acuren Group Inc.
Your foundation has also initiated a Bank of Montreal Mosiak Master Card. A percentage of the charges made on these cards will directly benefit our endowment fund. I strongly encourage all members to obtain one of these cards.
An extensive capital campaign aimed at APEGGA members and corporate donors will be launched this fall. Through their generous contributions we aim to further our goals and objectives.
The board of the APEGGA Education Foundation has identified many areas of potential increased activity in support of the next generation of geoscientists and engineers. We do, however, need to become financially secure before any new initiatives are undertaken.
Thank you for your continued support for the foundation and its activities.