Retired Educators Support Learning with Bursary

Members of RTOERO District 28 in Durham Region—retired teachers and education workers—believe strongly in the importance of post-secondary education. They have created an Ontario Tech University bursary that allows students in financial need to pursue their academic dreams.

“We understand the valuable role post-secondary education plays in creating new opportunities,” says Aileen Fletcher, RTOERO District 28 President and Chair, Bursaries and Scholarships Committee. “We want to support students who have financial challenges that may be interfering with their continued education.”

RTOERO District 28 has supported Ontario Tech students with a financial award since 2012, but recently, approximately 3,000 members raised $25,000 toward the bursary. The Ontario Tech Board of Governors’ Matching Fund doubled the impact of this permanent endowment. The bursary is available to students from Durham Region enrolled in Health Sciences or Education programs of study, subjects that match the membership’s interests in healthy active aging and the power of community to secure a better future.

“The bursary aligns with what we’ve committed our lives and passions to,” Aileen says. “We’re very pleased by the generosity of our membership to come together and support the university in this way, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic and its challenges.” “We hope that going forward we’ll have additional fundraising opportunities to increase our base investment. Being involved in this project was inspiring.”