Category: Humanities 101

Connecting Community

Once again The Friends are proud to support two amazing University of Alberta programs that engage with the broader community.

U School is rooted in the belief that university should be accessible to all students as a place to grow and learn. The program introduces students in grades 4 through 9 from socially vulnerable, aboriginal and rural communities to the University. View the 2023-24 Year End Report.

From left: Meng Wang (Leadership Annual Giving), Chancellor Nizar J Somji, Natalie Peter (U School Program Lead) and Tyrel Brochu (Senate Director), Luca Vanzella (Friends President).

Humanities 101 offers free, non-credit, university-level courses for Albertans who have a passion for learning but whose circumstances have barriers that make post-secondary education inaccessible. And now Humanities 101 includes Science 101!

From left: David Peacock (Director, Community Service-Learning), Lisa Prins (U School Program Lead), Luca Vanzella (Friends President), Meng Wang (Leadership Annual Giving).

Big Cheques 2024 edition

Once again we are proud to support programs that engage a community with the University of Alberta and student scholarships.

The Friends’ president Luca Vanzella (c) presents the cheque for Humanities 101 to Dr. David Peacock (l) and Lisa Prins (r)

“the HUM Program brings together a diverse group of adult learners who all share a passion for lifelong learning.“

The Friends have chosen to contribute to a existing scholarship Ailsa Heathcote Walker Memorial Prize. A small effort to keep up with the rising tuition costs. Luca Vanzella presents the cheque to Heather Coleman (Chair, Faculty of Arts – History, Classics, & Religion Dept). or ualberta link

The Friends have chosen to contribute to a existing scholarship Isabel Munroe Smith Memorial Scholarship Fund or ualberta link

2021 Hum 101 Donation

We got out the big cheque book to support UAlberta Humanities 101 program.

“the HUM Program brings together a diverse group of adult learners who all share a passion for lifelong learning.“

As with practically everything in the past 15 months, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced Humanities 101 to switch gears and plot a new course to deliver their programming. They have teamed up with CJSR FM 88.5 to broadcast their classes, used Zoom and Facebook, and their own website hum101onair.wordpress.com.

A few of the Friends met on a patio for a quick photo op. We are smiling under our masks and happy that the Friends are able to support Hum101 and their programming (and that it was a lovely day).

Donation to Humanities 101

One of the Friend’s goals is to connect the community to the University. In support of this goal, we are proud to donate $5000 to the Faculty of Arts Community Service-Learning to contribute to the next two years of their program Humanities 101 (please read more about the program here).

Due to the pandemic, the Big Cheque was presented on May 27, 2020 via Zoom to Dr. David Peacock, Diane McKen and Lisa Prins. Most of the Friend’s board members were able to attend too.

This financial support comes at a critical time since many school programs have moved delivery of courses online and yet many HUM 101 students do not have internet and/or computers or tablets.