Program requires students to work pro-bono from nine-to-five

Brad Lemaire
News Reporter

The memory of the late fundraising legend Kevin Allen will be honoured through a new scholarship announced earlier this week at a Humber alumni event.
The Kevin Allen Scholarship for Student Excellence in Fundraising will be awarded based on academics, financial need and merit in the voluntary sector to a student entering the fundraising and volunteer management program.
Allen was the founder of consulting firm Inspire, established in 1988, which became the largest fundraising firm in Canada. He passed away March 23, 2008, at the age of 54 in Toronto.
The financial burden students face is hefty with more than a quarter of them leaving the one-year program with over $20,000 in debt, according to former student Laurie Pringle.  
Forty-nine per cent of past and present students in the fundraising and volunteer management program required financial assistance from OSAP in order to pay tuition.
Money is a concern for many students said Emma Cosgrove, co-ordinator of Monday’s event at the Lone Star Grill on Front Street.
“I think a scholarship is much more than a need for a lot of students in this program. A lot of people, including myself, in this program are really struggling to feed ourselves.”
Allen’s friend and colleague, George Stanois, started the scholarship by contributing $5,000 for an endowment fund. The provincial government will match all additional funds. The scholarship will assist students entering the world of fundraising, which can be hard work with little payout, added Cosgrove.
“Particularly because the program is nine to five and students are expected to volunteer,” she said. If you don’t volunteer you won’t get an internship.  So the time it leaves to actually work and pay for rent, food and the program itself is very minimal.”
Humber president John Davies attended the event and said he thinks anytime alumni get together is good for Humber’s reputation. He said volunteer work done by graduates of the program will be very important since the country is facing an economic downturn that could see many people in need of assistance.
“The work these people do is absolutely critical for our society as a caring and productive society,” Davies said. “We are one of the leaders in fundraising and volunteer management programs so it is important to come to these events.”
Humber alumni Ann Forsythe said these events are a good opportunity to meet people from the program both past and present. She added it is important to network in the volunteer and fundraising business.
Freelance writer and Humber alumni Lindsey Patten reiterated those sentiments.
“A lot of people come out of this program doing amazing work,” said Patten.  “We are all trying to make a positive difference in the world, so it is nice to see how many people come from the program and how they can influence the world through their work.”