The Power of Five
Alumni partner to establish scholarship endowment
It’s a sight one might see on any given morning in Vancouver: three young professionals chatting over coffee at a local café.
But while it mightn’t be unusual to overhear a conversation centred around market trends or investments, at this particular table, on this particular morning, TWU School of Business alumni Amanda (Crosby) Regamble (’06), Ryan Lermitte (’07), and Adam Bornn (’06) discuss something a little more personal—the Alumni Cares Scholarship endowment they established at TWU last year with fellow alumni, Carla Ohman (’07) and Kris Alexander (’09).
“I wouldn’t have made it past my first semester without scholarships.”
The idea came about two years ago, when Lermitte, Bornn, and Alexander entered a golf tournament. Lermitte’s parents Paul (’82) and Jan (Greenwood ’80)—who are TWU scholarship patrons—offered to pay their golf fees if they invested the money in a scholarship. “That was an easy decision,” Lermitte says.
Shortly thereafter, the trio—along with with Regamble and Ohman, who were also interested in establishing a scholarship—met with TWU’s Director of Development for BC, Mike Sambrook, to establish the scholarship. Through twice-yearly events, like the “Ugly Sweater” party they held to launch their effort, the friends plan to raise funds and encourage others to consider doing the same. That initial event netted a healthy $20,000 toward their endowment, thanks to attendees’ generosity and a matching gift from a donor.
While the memory of ugly sweaters and camaraderie still elicits laughter, the friends are very aware of the difference their endeavour makes for future TWU students. “I wouldn’t have made it past my first semester without scholarships,” says second-generation alumnus Bornn, son of Carey Bornn (’84) and Cathy (Dodds) Bornn (’80). “People might not necessarily want to invest in our scholarship, but we want to encourage them to start somewhere.”
Regamble, a member of TWU’s new Alumni Association, sees this scholarship as a way to help build a culture of giving back among TWU alumni. “Part of why we’re doing this is to help foster generosity,” she says.
Reflecting on her TWU experience, Regamble is thankful. “Alumni get more than just an education out of Trinity Western,” she says. “We get friends, spouses, or even jobs through these connections. Giving back is a way to recognize what you received.”
Lermitte, who met his spouse, Tracy (Yemen ’07) at TWU, agrees. “Trinity Western is an amazing school,” he says. “Our goal is to allow other students to experience what we did.”
With a $30,000 endowment generating a $1,500 scholarship annually, the group hopes to grow their investment a hundredfold. “Our ultimate aim is to get every alumna and alumnus to give $50 a month,” says Regamble.
“And if we can do that,” adds Bornn, “we’ve reached our goal.”
With a hint of mischief in his eyes, Lermitte looks at his friends and smiles. “Well,” he says, “at least until we have a new one.”
For more information on how you can get involved with this scholarship, or create one of your own, contact Mike Sambrook at michael.sambrook@twu.ca.
by Wendy Delamont Lees
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