New recognition dinner honours donor support and student achievement
“On behalf of everyone who has received help, financial or otherwise, thank you for believing in us and for asking nothing in return but that we do our best.” —Jake MacDonnell, HBA ’18 Candidate
As he approaches the midpoint of his final year at Ivey, Jake MacDonnell, HBA ’18 Candidate, is no stranger to “running the numbers” and then letting the data speak. So when he needed to put the impact of receiving the Jackson Family HBA Scholarship into context, MacDonnell did just that.
MacDonnell spoke on behalf of HBA award recipients at the inaugural Ivey Scholarship & Awards Dinner, which was held at the School on February 28, 2017. The new format marked the first time the School invited all scholarship and award donors to a single event, to celebrate student achievement and the leadership and support of Ivey donors.
MacDonnell described how he offsets the cost of his studies by working as a referee in on-campus intramurals for not one but three sports. He calculated that his scholarship represents the equivalent of about 1,100 hours of work per year. By comparison, his school commitments enabled him to work only slightly more than 200 hours last year.
“Weekly, that represents a gift of 40 hours that I can put toward my studies instead of working,” he said. “It’s also given me opportunities that I never would have been able to pursue otherwise, such as volunteering for a Habitat for Humanity.” MacDonnell worked on two Habitat builds in London this year, and serves as Vice-President, Finance for Western’s Habitat chapter.
Speaking on behalf of graduate award recipients, Kathryn Tang, MBA ’17, described the two-fold benefit of her Class of MBA ’89 Scholarship, in that it provides equal parts motivation and vital financial support.
“The burden of debt was a major consideration in coming back to school,” Tang said. “Having financial assistance through scholarships made Ivey a clear choice and made my decision immediate. This support from alumni also gave me the confidence to reach for more ambitious opportunities, which I know is critical for long-term success.”
“It’s not only that scholarships allow them to complete the Program without added financial pressure, but that it enables them to make such meaningful contributions to society along the way.”—Laura Hantho, MBA ’89
For the donors who make awards such as MacDonnell’s and Tang’s possible, MacDonnell’s number-crunching quickly hit home. Laura and Jon Hantho, both MBA ’89, and long-time supporters of scholarships and awards at Ivey, enjoyed the opportunity to connect with students directly at the event.
“To hear stories like Jake’s and Kathryn’s firsthand, and those of all the other recipients, is very powerful,” Laura Hantho said. “It’s not only that scholarships allow them to complete the Program without added financial pressure, but that it enables them to make such meaningful contributions to society along the way.”
As he drew his remarks to a close, MacDonnell spoke for all award recipients in thanking all donors for their generous support, while conceding that this was one instance where the numbers couldn’t quite tell the full story.
“Although I can put it into numbers, I can’t express in words the gratitude I feel toward Mr. (Donald K.) Jackson, MBA ’67, and the support of the Ivey community,” MacDonnell said. “On behalf of everyone who has received help, financial or otherwise, thank you for believing in us and for asking nothing in return but that we do our best.”
