Fall 2011

Every fall issue of VIEW magazine includes a list of our donor groups, with the entire list available online to show our appreciation to those who have partnered with the University to build a stronger campus, enrich the student experience and ultimately, enhance our community. Although we have traditionally referred to these individuals and organizations as “donors,” other terms such as builders, investors and stewards are also often used to describe how people’s generosity makes a difference.

I’d like to explore the notion of donations as investments because ultimately, these gifts are about creating a return, and in this case, the returns to donors come in many ways.

Typically, investments are all about expectations. When you decide to make a financial investment, the terms of your return are laid out for you by the bank or a broker. In the same manner, when you plant a garden, you devote time, effort and energy knowing that your return will look like the picture on the front of the seed packet.

Some may argue that charitable donations don’t fall under the category of “investments” because there is no clearly defined expectation of receiving a return; it is a gift. However, when you donate to the University of Windsor, I can assure you the outcome can be measured in more tangible terms than just the sound of applause at convocation.

When you make an investment in education, you can expect great things to grow from your donation. For example, more than 1,000 students benefitted from donor-funded scholarships this year. Research shows us this funding will translate into 1,000 more people who will make substantially higher career earnings, will tend to be healthier, live longer and be more active citizens.

The Council of Ontario Universities reports that from 2004 to 2010, employment growth for university graduates grew by 28%, outpacing all other levels of education. A labour study by the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada indicates that 87% of new jobs created in professional and management occupations within the last 20 years were filled by university graduates.

Your donation is making a difference, in many ways you are generating returns not only for individual graduates, but also within the communities where they enjoy great success, both personally and professionally through the contributions they are making toward industry, the arts, the environment, and our social well-being. Take pride in the role your investment has played, enabling new alumni to prosper and enrich communities not only in Canada, but around the world.

In this issue, we have profiled some of our students, alumni, faculty and staff who are strengthening their communities by applying their expertise, determination, commitment and ingenuity where it is needed most. These stories provide a few examples of the solid returns that can be expected with an investment in the University of Windsor.

I’d like to thank you for all of the generous investments you are making that truly multiply across our campus and allow us to provide an exceptional student experience. Although you may not expect a return, you are creating more UWindsor pride, economic prosperity, personal fulfillment, and a better world for all of us.

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Alan Wildeman
President and Vice-Chancellor