Supporting our students

ULethbridge Chancellors, past and present, know the value that supporting students holds. From nurturing the next generation of leaders and problem solvers to fostering a sense of community among students and alumni, investing in students presents them with a myriad of opportunities to find success in their post-secondary journeys.

Chancellor Emerita Dr. Janice Varzari (BN ’90, MEd ’02, LLD ’21) and family understand the challenges facing today’s students

Rising education costs, combined with increased costs for food and housing can undermine students’ ability to first access a quality education and then limit their opportunity to thrive.

This was the impetus for the Varzari Family Bursary Fund, specifically designed to support students in need with a variety of flexible bursaries.

“We know students face increased stress when they experience the financial challenges that come with today’s economy and inflation,” says Varzari. “Our goal with this donation is to help alleviate some of that financial pressure so students can focus on their studies.”

Chancellor Terry Whitehead (BA ’94) and philanthropy seem to go hand-in-hand

Long before he was elected by the ULethbridge Senate to a leadership role with the University, Whitehead was the impetus behind several student support initiatives.

For him, it was a way of paying it forward and giving a new generation of students the opportunity to get the most out of their academic experience — just as he did during his time on campus.

Over the years, Whitehead has kickstarted multiple programs, including the Bridge Prize (Canada’s only national short story writing contest for post-secondary students), the Play Right Prize (annual student one-act playwriting competition), HistoriCity (annual student historical essay competition), the Pronghorn Citizenship Award (recognizing volunteerism in ULethbridge’s varsity athletes), and the Spirit Prize (annual award recognizing excellence in visual arts by an Indigenous student).

Whitehead is also actively involved in the Adopt-a-Horn program, a fundraising initiative through Pronghorn Athletics where donors “adopt” and support an athlete from any of the varsity teams each year. Recently, he was the driving force behind the creation of the Pronghorn Athletics Coach of the Year Award to recognize the outstanding mentorship provided by our Pronghorn coaches.

From fine arts to history, athletics and liberal education, Whitehead’s philanthropy has made a tangible contribution to invigorating multiple fields of study and providing inspiration and support to students across a breadth of disciplines.

“I feel so fortunate to have studied in an institution grounded in liberal education philosophy and tradition,” says Whitehead. “The areas I support are diverse and represent different interests in my life, and these areas of interest were all ignited during my time on campus as a student. Giving back is the least I can do, and directing my support to students is very rewarding.”