Donor Spotlight
BMO Financial Group Provides Major Boost to Donald School of Business
Business students are benefitting from a $175,000 donation by BMO Financial Group, long-time RDC benefactors. Announced at the Donald School of Business Grand Opening VIP Reception, BMO’s contribution is entirely directed to support the School.
“BMO’s major donation exemplifies their commitment to our College and our community, and it adds to an incredible history of support by BMO that dates back to 1984,” says Joel Ward, RDC President and CEO. “Their contribution to our Donald School is meaningful and timely, as hundreds of students began classes in September at our new downtown campus and on main campus. We believe the real-world experience we provide our students while at the School will benefit businesses in the future, such as BMO, as they choose from a highly qualified pool of graduates when hiring for their future team.”
In honour of BMO’s donation, RDC will name a large space at the downtown campus the BMO Nutrition Centre. This high-traffic space features microwaves, countertops and a sink area as well as healthy vending machines. The learning common aligned with this area seats roughly 75 students and is intended as an informal learning space with various technologies available, for individual and group project work. For small group work, banquettes are designed with LCD screens and a laptop connection cable to display projects as they’re being developed. Views from this space feature City Hall and City Hall Park.
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About BMO Financial Group: Since its founding in 1817 as Bank of Montreal – Canada’s first bank – BMO Financial Group has been committed to corporate and social responsibility and the principles of sustainable development. By helping to create vital, healthy and safe communities, they best serve their customers and their business. And they help create and maintain the foundation of a prosperous and resilient society.
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Other major donors that contributed to the School include the Welikoklad family, Collins Barrow and MNP. To commemorate these investments, RDC named the Welikoklad Family Learning Studio, the Collins Barrow Classroom and the MNP Classroom.
More than 550 students are attending the Donald School of Business, and officially started classes in early September. Collaboration between the College, the City of Red Deer and the Downtown Business Association have helped ease the transition for students in matters of parking, travel between RDC and the downtown campus, and opportunities involving downtown business amenities.