With the back-to-school season in full swing, Suncor and the Suncor Energy Foundation (SEF) are emphasizing the importance of supporting students and the efforts of post-secondary institutions.
As post-secondary institutions continue to strive for innovative change, SEF’s Post Secondary Donation Program offers funding to universities and colleges across Canada. Through this program, post-secondary institutions can apply for funding that contributes to community- and student-led initiatives designed to make a positive impact in the broader community and reduce some of the barriers that affect some students from being able to fully pursue a post-secondary education.
“Every school has valuable initiatives,” says Asif Syed, Oil Sands Engineer, “But if we want to make a difference in society, we should be supporting the universities and colleges that are really thinking differently about what it takes to serve both the current and future needs in our communities.”
To decide how to allocate donations, each year SEF invites a dedicated group of volunteer employees to form an advisory group. This is Asif’s first year in the group, where he joins seven others – including other Suncor employees, a co-op student, and a member of the Indigenous Youth Advisory Council that works with Suncor and SEF. They review the schools’ applications, evaluate which institutions stand out, and discuss how the proposed initiatives align with SEF’s funding priorities.
“It was a very structured process. We were given a month to assess all 22 applicants in detail and grade them on a specific set of criteria,” explains Asif. “Then, we met for two days sessions to discuss each of our preferred applicants.”
Asif Syed (middle right) showing his support for community initiatives at the Calgary Pride Parade.
The collaboration among the volunteers on the advisory committee – who come from a variety of departments, job types, and age groups across the company – includes space for different perspectives and opinions to be shared, allowing members of the group to advocate for initiatives that matter to them.
Asif says the two younger members in the advisory group brought an interesting perspective. “They were a little broader minded when evaluating the applicants, and they looked through a different lens compared to the long-term employees on the committee. While we were evaluating only the application, they were looking at the bigger picture and doing their own research. You could definitely see the positive reasons for having different age brackets involved in the evaluation process.”
Through conversation and respectful debate, the group finalized its recommendations, which were all approved by SEF’s Board of Directors. As a result, SEF contributed more than $3.6 million of its overall budget to 10 post-secondary institutions, while continuing to pay out multi-year donations to successful applicants from previous years.
“Our SEF team works on this program year-round: developing and maintaining relationships with post-secondary institutions and providing input and advice to the schools who apply for new or renewed financial support,” says Kelli Stevens, Manager of SEF and social innovation. “But working with the advisory group to help determine where the dollars go is one of the most special aspects of this program – they are so thoughtful, and they bring perspectives to this process that our team doesn’t have.”
From backing Indigenous students and communities, to supporting sustainability and energy initiatives, to encouraging post-secondary institutions in their joint work with non-profit organizations, there is no doubt that SEF’s donation program is a valuable initiative. Beyond that, the participation by the advisory group and support from the Suncor leaders who serve on SEF’s Board encourages another level of engagement and passion that connects employees from various parts of the company and helps provide new experiences and development. It only feels appropriate to start off September with a reminder of the connections that education can bring!