ULSU charitable efforts laudable

trevor.kenney — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 22:17:01 +0000

Life isn't always a breeze, and every once in a while we are all in need of a helping hand. Students are no different.

Thankfully, there are numerous services offered by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students' Union (ULSU) to help students whenever life's pinch gets a little too tight, but this is only one side of the charitable coin at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

The flip side to the long list of services offered to students are the charitable actions and efforts of students who want to make life just a little easier for those who need it. The beneficiaries range from those within the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community to the local and provincial communities and as far reaching as beyond international borders.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students' Union works diligently to provide an avenue for motivated students to host charitable events on campus. Most recently, Paul Klein and Maxine Saretsky, members of the ULSU General Assembly (GA), organized a shoe drive benefitting Soles 4 Souls. The Nashville-based organization has been collecting and distributing shoes to disadvantaged persons since 2005 and they currently reach people in need in 127 countries.

Over the course of a frigid week in January, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community donated 194 pairs of shoes to the organization's cause. After this year's successful showing, Maxine and Paul hope to have the event return next year.

Another annual charitable event by students profiting students is the ULSU and Education Undergraduate Society (EUS) Fashion Drive. Now in its third year, and spearheaded by GA Education Rep Eva Gorny, the EUS Fashion Drive benefits scholarships for Faculty of Education students. The proceeds raised help to assist future teachers during their third practical semester and their first year in the profession.

The goal of this event is to raise enough money to keep this scholarship going for at least two additional years. Funding will be distributed in $500 increments to education students who qualify.

The collection period for this year's event takes place from Feb. 6-17 and there will be collection boxes located across campus. The fashion sale will take place on Feb. 28-29 in the Students' Union Ballroom B (SU200B).

The focus of the sale may be to help education students through their studies but the entire ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community benefits from the great prices and items available at the sale. Students will have the opportunity to refresh their wardrobe with minimal impact on their pocketbooks, all the while helping their fellow students – a win-win situation.

The well-being of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's student community remains at the heart of the ULSU's charitable efforts and they continue to seek out new and innovative efforts to improve the lives of their students and the community.

Sakamoto support invests in students

trevor.kenney — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 16:47:43 +0000

Ron Sakamoto (LLB '03), or "Sak," as he is affectionately known, has presented shows from KISS to Shania Twain and has been a constant champion of Canada's entertainment scene, helping build it into the thriving industry it is today.

His time in the business has been marked by change: he's watched the careers of countless rock and country artists blossom and grow; he's seen the size of the arenas and the magnitude of the shows increase exponentially; and he's witnessed the monumental growth and rapid evolvement of audio and visual media.

"The role of audio across all media has changed significantly from the traditional broadcast media of the past," says Sakamoto. "It is now more important than ever for young people entering the field to have the skills, knowledge and confidence to effectively navigate the changing landscape of the industry."

Responding to the globally expanding communication environment, the U of L launched the bachelor of music in digital audio arts (DAA) in the fall of 2009. Building on the U of L's highly successful bachelor of fine arts in new media, this innovative program produces graduates who are experts in music technology and whose skills integrate with visual media, audio and advanced research, matching the needs of industry – today and into the future.

"I am very excited to have a program of this quality and stature in my hometown," says Sakamoto. "When my son was looking for training, he ended up in Nashville. We were fortunate enough to be able to afford the costs associated with sending him to study down south, but not every student is that lucky."

Ron and his wife Joyce are happy to help fill that gap. The couple recently donated $200,000 in support of students in the DAA program. The gift will be matched by the Government of Alberta's Access to the Future Fund, bringing the total of the contribution to an impressive $400,000.

While Ron and Joyce hope the award will help students along in their educational journeys, Ron explains that establishing the scholarship is also a way of giving back to an industry that has been so good to him.

"Programs like this one play a crucial role in creating the next generation of sound engineers," explains Sakamoto. "Joyce and I are happy to support students in the Digital Audio Arts program, as they work to meet their educational and professional goals. These are the people that will be superstars in the years to come and I look forward to the contributions this group will make to the music industry."

UNews - Nashville

ULSU charitable efforts laudable

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Sakamoto support invests in students

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