The Holland College Foundation has received the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education’s Prix d’Excellence silver medal in the Best Student/Young Alumni Initiative category for the Earn a Car campaign.
The Prix d’Excellence annual awards program recognizes outstanding achievements in alumni affairs, public affairs, communications, marketing, development, advancement services, stewardship and overall institutional advancement.
The Earn a Car campaign was made possible by Island-born Calgary businessman Lou MacEachern, who has donated the car and four cash awards to the Holland College Foundation for six consecutive years with the objective of motivating students to achieve their personal and academic best.
Holland College president Sandy MacDonald said the initiative has a profound impact on the college’s students.
“We are pleased to receive national recognition for this extraordinary initiative led by the Holland College Foundation, and we are very appreciative of Mr. MacEachern’s continued support,” he said.
“The Earn a Car campaign touches students’ lives and shows them that their commitment to their studies and to their communities is recognized, valued and appreciated.”
“The Earn a Car campaign touches students’ lives and shows them that their commitment to their studies and to their communities is recognized, valued and appreciated.”
Faculty and staff nominate students on the basis of merit, character and academic achievement with consideration to personal and professional growth and accomplishments, attitude, perseverance, initiative, leadership, career goals, community involvement, ambition, educational growth, academic effort, and work ethic.
Nominees are short-listed by the registrar’s office, and the top five candidates are interviewed by a selection panel. One student receives a new car, and four students receive $1,000 each.
This year, Ashley Stuart, a student in Holland College’s architectural technology program, earned a 2020 Chevrolet Spark. Alex Foy, environmental applied science technology, Allen Boland, human services, Karla Cabrera, accounting technology, and Tracey Lidstone, human services West Prince, each received $1,000.
MacEachern recently announced his commitment to fund the initiative for a seventh year, making all post-secondary students attending Holland College in 2020/21 eligible. For more information about the campaign and to watch the video of this year’s announcement and testimonials from past participants, visit the foundation section of hollandcollege.com.
