Surrey, B.C. – Call it a hole-in-one, hat-trick or three-point play: Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) journalism students scored big this week with a generous $250,000 donation from Sportsnet. The gift is the largest in the history of KPU’s Journalism and Communication Studies Department.
Announced today, the donation from Sportsnet will go toward supporting the next generation of talented media professionals who bring colour, commentary and clarity to some of the world’s most-loved games.
“The demands of business and industry are ever evolving, and as a polytechnic university, we ensure our graduates are equipped to excel,” said Dr. Alan Davis, KPU President and Vice-Chancellor. “Sportsnet’s generous gift will push our journalism program in the vanguard of an increasingly dynamic and digital industry. This is truly a big win for KPU and we want to thank Sportsnet for this donation. It will have a huge impact on our program and our students.”
“Canada is home to some of the best and brightest minds in the sports media industry, and Sportsnet is thrilled to help KPU provide cutting-edge educational opportunities for up-and-coming sports journalism talent,” said Scott Moore, President of Sportsnet & NHL Properties, Rogers. “Success is being prepared for when the opportunity presents itself – and we are deeply committed to supporting education opportunities for youth and young adults, particularly when it comes to technology, innovation and the future of sports media in Canada.”
The first $100,000 of the gift will create six annual scholarships and awards that will not only assist students interested in sports journalism, but will provide them with major-league opportunities in exploring digital and multimedia techniques over the next five years.
Among the annual awards is a $5,000 scholarship that will send a student to cover a major North American sporting event. Another $5,000 award will allow a student to travel the continent, researching a major issue in sports and its impact on athletes and society in general. In each case, students will submit proposals and a portfolio of work, which will be reviewed by KPU journalism faculty, who will make the final selections.
An additional four $2,500 scholarships will be available annually for the next five years to students enrolled in KPU’s journalism program.
"We are extremely grateful for this very generous gift which will greatly impact all our students, both those interested in sports journalism and those pursuing other specialties," said Beverley Sinclair, Chair of KPU's Journalism and Communication Studies Department.
"Our program has a reputation for excellence in multimedia journalism, and the scholarships and opportunities made possible by this donation allow us to add substantially to our students' experience of that, and to their future contributions as professional journalists,” she added.
KPU’s journalism program offers forward-thinking courses in multimedia and communication studies that apply to all genres of journalism.
When it comes to sports, students and graduates hit home runs with excellent and award-winning work. Seventeen students have covered Olympic Games – including the Winter Games in Vancouver and Sochi – and two alumni working as sports editors in B.C. recently received awards for excellence in sports writing.
