With ‘transformational’ donation, U of S nearing capital campaign goal

Article content

When the University of Saskatchewan officially launched its largest-ever capital campaign in 2023, the fundraising target of $500 million was lofty enough to turn some heads.

With about five months left on the university’s self-declared timeline, and it now appears the more pressing question is not whether the goal can be reached, but how much past the target amount it will get.

Article content

As of this week, the capital campaign has raised approximately $475 million, or 95 per cent of its goal. The latest and biggest donation came from Nutrien, which this week contributed $15 million to the Be What the World Needs campaign.

U of S vice-president university relations Cheryl Hamelin said the university “has never been better equipped to confront humanity’s most complex issues, but we can’t make this bold vision a reality without generous donors and champions like Nutrien to lead the way.”

The campaign’s purpose is to support research programs, Indigenous achievement, student success and new and improved spaces on campus. The university has long set a target of June to reach its goal.

“We are deeply grateful for this incredible donation, which builds on our longstanding relationship with Nutrien over the past five decades,” U of S president Peter Stoicheff said.

The $15-million donation is the single-largest gift thus far toward the campaign. Stoicheff noted that Nutrien remains the largest corporate donor in the university’s history, with more than $50 million in donations over the years.

Article content

Article content

As of last June, when the campaign surpassed the $428 million mark, more than 18,000 alumni had donated, alongside around 1,400 corporations, 5,000 individuals and 400 foundations. At that time, 92,784 donations had been made.

Much of the $15 million announced Monday from the mining and potash giant will go toward establishing the Nutrien Centre for Sustainable and Digital Agriculture, which will be part of the College of Agriculture and Bioresources.

According to the university, the focus of the Nutrien Centre will be research, training and innovative technologies “that accelerate farming into the digital age and create more sustainable and resilient food systems around the world.”

Funding will be available for a research chair position and facility modernization.

It will also establish the Nutrien Future Fund for the college, provide scholarships for AgBio students, and fund Indigenous and community engagement. In addition, the money will also support engineering scholarships and the creation of what the U of S calls a “state-of-the-art lecture theatre” in the College of Engineering.

Article content

“We at Nutrien are proud to continue our decades-long partnership with the University of Saskatchewan through a transformative $15 million donation,” Nutrien president and CEO Ken Seitz said.

“This investment supports research, education, and innovation that aims to tackle some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Together, we strive to strengthen global food security and contribute to building resilient agricultural communities both locally and globally.”

The Saskatoon Star Phoenix has created an Afternoon Headlines newsletter that can be delivered daily to your inbox so you are up to date with the most vital news of the day. Click here to subscribe.

With some online platforms blocking access to the journalism upon which you depend, our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark thestarphoenix.com and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed. Click here to subscribe.

Article content