ATB Financial visits Mount Royal University's campus to reflect on the impact of their gift to the Indigenous Housing Program
This month Mount Royal University welcomed ATB Financial to campus in celebration of their generous $50,000 gift to the Indigenous Housing Program. This Iniskim Centre-led initiative offers an array of critical programming and support to Indigenous students and their families. ATB generously funded bursaries to reduce residence fees for students, covered costs for parking and provided grocery gift cards in times of great need. Steve Kootenay-Jobin, the events and housing coordinator at the Iniskim Centre, highlighted that ATB’s support helped bridge a gap that was critical for the Indigenous Housing Program as students struggled with the impacts of the pandemic.
ATB’s gift to MRU helped ensure that Indigenous students at MRU had adequate assistance to pursue their academic dreams. “This news honestly brought me to tears. It has been a long year so far. I just want to thank ATB for all of the support [they] give us,” says Melissa Gladue, a Métis Social Work Diploma student.
"At ATB, we believe that Alberta's path towards reconciliation depends on equitable access to education. We are proud to partner with Mount Royal University in our journey to indigenization." says ATB’s reconciliation journey website.
Kootenay-Jobin explained that supporting the needs of Indigenous students contributes greatly to their success far beyond the classroom and also positively impacts the lives of their families and communities.
“The generous donation from ATB is a great example of the ripple effect this kind of support can have on students and their families,” Kootenay-Jobin says.
To help make an impact like ATB, you can also support the Indigenous Housing Program.
September 27, 2022 - Emily Nunn