Algonquin College receives donation for international education from guard.me International Insurance
Posted on Tuesday, November 12th, 2019
Algonquin College has received a $450,000 donation from guard.me International Insurance — the first part of a $650,000 contribution towards international education opportunities first announced in the summer.
The special, two-year investment will benefit international students in the form of new scholarships and a bursary fund, and seed funding for unique entrepreneurship and applied research initiatives. The funding will also help more domestic students study and work abroad.
“International students make significant social, economic and education contributions to Algonquin College and the Ottawa community,” said Cheryl Jensen, former Algonquin College President and Chief Executive Officer, when the funding was first announced on Friday, June 28. “This generous donation from guard.me will help support international students who have a sudden, unforeseen change in their financial situation. It will also provide our domestic students with more opportunities abroad – experience that is highly attractive to potential employers.”
The donation was announced Friday by Keith Segal, President, CEO and Founder of guard.me International Insurance. “We see ourselves as more than just an insurance provider,” Segal said. “We become a partner to the schools we work with, and we play an important role in helping International students achieve their educational goals. Today I am proud to deepen our partnership with Algonquin College with a gift of $650,000 over the next two years. We believe that individuals become better global citizens through learning, travelling, and experiencing new cultures and ways of living.”
The guard.me investment will:
- increase the number of domestic students who are able to study and work abroad
- create the guard.me International Student Emergency Bursary Fund to support International students facing financial crisis
- create 40 new guard.me International Student Scholarships, each valued at $2,500, and
- provide seed funding for International student entrepreneurship initiatives, and applied research in the area of internationalization
In 2018–19, more than 3,800 unique International students from 100 different countries were enrolled in Algonquin programs, with another 500 international students registered for language training at the College’s Canadian campuses.
Friday’s announcement was held in Algonquin College’s new International Education Centre, located in Student Central, an integrated service space that opened in October 2018. The announcement comes as Algonquin prepares to launch a new 2019-2022 International Strategic Plan Empowering Globally Minded Learners.
Photo: Claude Brulé, President and Chief Executive Officer and Keith Segal, President, CEO and Founder of guard.me International Insurance
For more information:
Ruth Dunley, Communications Manager
Algonquin College
Office: 613-727-4723 ext. 6452
Mobile: 613-406-0970
dunleyr@algonquincollege.com
Chris Lackner, Communications Officer
Algonquin College
Office: 613-727-4723 ext. 2091
About Algonquin College:
http://www.algonquincollege.com
The mission of Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology is to transform hopes and dreams into lifelong success. Algonquin College, an Ontario public sector community college, does this by offering hands-on, digitally connected, experiential learning in more than 185 programs. Based in the Ottawa Valley, Algonquin College is the largest polytechnic institute in eastern Ontario.
About Guard.me International Insurance
guard.me is among the world’s largest insurance providers in International education, protecting thousands of individuals studying and working abroad. Founded in 1998 and incorporated in Canada as Travel Healthcare Insurance Solutions Inc., guard.me is a full-service managing general underwriter. Their niche in the market is that all aspects of their coverage plans — from enrollments to claims adjudication are created and administered in-house. As an insurer, guard.me has clients in both private and public universities and colleges, language schools and school boards, with over 400 partner agents, organizations and educational institutions globally.
Photo: Keith Segal, President, CEO and Founder of guard.me International Insurance
and Cheryl Jensen, Algonquin College’s President and Chief Executive Officer
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