By Ed Veilleux
Ten students will get chosen for a $500 grant under a new SGA initiative, launched in mid-September, the Laurentian 10 program aims to give $500 in grant money and a series of mentors to ten students who, in turn, undertake a project of international, national, or local importance.
Charles Wilson, the executive director of the SGA and program administrator of Laurentian 10, said:
“The Laurentian 10 is going to be an initiative which is going to put Laurentian on the map. Other universities have similar programs which either give money to the student without the mentorship or give them the mentorships for programs which they choose. We are unique where we allow student directive projects which ultimately choose the issues which students want to take action on.”
The program started by accident, according to Wilson, when himself and SGA President Andy Rollins were attending a student leadership conference.The program should have beneficial results for students and the university community, Wilson said.
“The program will enable students to become leaders in their community. They will also acquire the skills they need to make meaningful change. A lot of the projects we have talked
about are Laurentiancentred. it really speaks to me that students really care about the community they live in.”
The program will be governed by an independent advisory board “that ensures the integrity of the program,” an SGA release stated.Andy Rollins, president of the Students’ General Association, and Dominic Giroux, president of Laurentian University, will be honorary patrons for this program.
Giroux said the project “will be cutting-edge and foster even more student engagement on the Sudbury campus.”
Rollins added, “today we are launching a program which will foster Laurentian students to be leaders, not only on campus, but in the world.”
The Laurentian 10 is being supported by the SGA, ACL Student Benefits, Huntington University, Laurentian University, Laurie Bissonette of KPMG Sudbury, and an
anonymous donor.