Though it seems to have escaped post-secondary education policy-makers across our country, TRUSU knows that the best students are characterized by their intellect and effort – and not by the size of their wallets. And though it seems to have escaped these policy-makers, we also know that education is an investment in our communities and not a commodity from which to profit. Until we can convince these policy makers of their errors, TRUSU proudly puts these words into practice, investing in an endowment to assist those in need to access the education they deserve!

The total debt students owe on the national portion of their student loans to the Canada Student Loans Program climbs by .2 everyday and has now surpassed billion dollars. At our very own Thompson Rivers University, tuition fees continue to increase every year and have topped 00 for just two full-time semesters.

For low-income families, tuition alone represents at least 10% of their total income before taxes. What do all these numbers represent? They represent barriers to equitable access to public post-secondary education – and they are unacceptable. While we have successfully removed the injustice of tuition fees on Adult Basic Education in BC, our fight against other tuition fees and the crippling effects of student debt continues. In the meantime, we cannot abandon our fellow students whose potential may go to waste if they cannot afford post-secondary education. For their sake, and the sake our futures together, TRUSU invests 000 every year in an endowment fund that supplies 00 in financial aid annually.

Students can apply for a TRUSU Endowment through the Financial Aid and Awards office in Old Main. There are five 00 bursaries available to students in need and two 0 bursaries available to student athletes in need of assistance to continue to represent us. For more information about these endowments, visit the TRU Financial Aid and Awards webpage.