Identifying a student need

trevor.kenney — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 22:36:47 +0000

Tom Doyle knows that being a student isn't easy.

"As a student I worked at least 32 hours per week while taking four to five courses," says Doyle, who is both a staff member and alumnus of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. "It was challenging and kept me busy, but it also forced me to be very responsible with my time."

Tom Doyle (BSC '93) understands the challenges students face when trying to balance studies with work.

Doyle persevered, was able to balance his work schedule with his academic responsibilities and earned a bachelor of science degree in 1993. He's now the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's manager of enterprise systems for Information Technology.

"Although I left the U of L for awhile, I always had an affinity for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ," he says. "I was happy to come back to work here in 1996 and I have been here ever since."

When Doyle looks around campus today, he understands that many students face the same challenges he did.

"I can empathize with those students who are driven and motivated but struggling financially," he says. "I know what that is like, and I am passionate about supporting students in those situations."

Supporting Our Students (SOS), an annual campaign aimed toward faculty and staff, allows Doyle to help those students. As co-chair of this year's campaign, Doyle sees an opportunity for faculty and staff to come together to contribute to the success of students, which in turn benefits the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ as a whole.

"Strong student enrolment and participation are important, and having scholarships and bursaries available to them helps to support that," he says. "I am proud to be a part of a core group that is committed to the success of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and its students."

Doyle readily accepted the responsibility of being a campaign co-chair because he believes in the supportive atmosphere that SOS fosters.

"This campaign demonstrates that staff and faculty members are not just doing a job, but that they are truly engaged with and supportive of the students that come here," he says.

For Doyle, this campaign is about more than financial contributions.

"It's not just about the money, it's about the real difference that even a nominal gift can make in the life of a student," he says. "If you care about this campus and believe that education makes a difference, then supporting our students is one of the best things you can do."

For more information on the Supporting Our Students campaign, please visit www.thisismyu.ca/giving/SupportingOurStudents or call the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Advancement office at 403-329-2582.

This story first appeared in the January edition of the Legend. For a look at the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

UNews - www.thisismyu.ca/giving/SupportingOurStudents

Identifying a student need

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