Right: Pamela Stokes
For A+ student Pamela Stokes (BA Hons. ’03), education has been an expensive journey. On her own since the age of 14, she has worked hard to put herself through university.
Stokes is grateful for an award she received through the Ontario Student Opportunity Trust Fund (OSOTF). “The Lundell Achievement Award allowed me to study without distraction for the first time in my life,” she said. Now a graduate student in psychology, she plans to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology.
Last year, current and retired faculty and staff contributed over $550,000 to York, and many of these donations supported student financial assistance for both undergraduate and graduate students – students like Stokes.
Now, through the current phase of the OSOTF program, donations to student financial aid can be matched dollar for dollar, doubling the impact of your gift. The Ontario government also provides a 2:1 match for every $5,000 in contributions for Ontario graduate scholarships. That means for every $5,000 raised, a graduate student receives a $15,000 scholarship.
You can help students such as Stokes through the Faculty, Staff and Retirees Annual Fund Campaign, which is now underway. Recently, faculty and staff received a letter with details on how to contribute to student financial assistance, or make a gift to the project of their choice.
The York University Foundation wants to say thank you to all faculty and staff members who have lent their names to this campaign, and to all faculty and staff for considering a gift to York through the Foundation.
Contributions received by Dec. 31 will receive a 2003 charitable tax receipt. For more information, please contact Marcie Somers, Manager of Annual Programs at the York University Foundation, at ext. 44690, or by e-mail at somersm@yorkfoundation.yorku.ca.