[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/MAPS_donation_2_opt.jpg” caption=”MAPS donation”]McMaster's Association of Part-time Students (MAPS) is dedicated to helping the University's part-time students cope with the costs of achieving their educational goals.

This week, MAPS president Walter Pohl announced the organization's generous $250,000 gift to establish The McMaster Association of Part-time Students 25th Anniversary Bursaries.

MAPS is taking advantage of a matching gift opportunity made possible through the second phase of the McMaster Student Opportunity Fund. McMaster created the program in response to a commitment by the Ontario government to match all private sector donations supporting endowed student bursaries.

As a result, MAPS' gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the province to create a $500,000 total endowment. Each year, the investment income generated by the fund will furnish a variable number of bursaries dispersing funds tailored to the individual financial needs of part-time students.

“These bursaries are designed to bridge the gap that currently exists for part-time students in need of financial assistance. They simply are not offered the same access to the provincial and national student assistance program as full-time students are. That's why MAPS is so important. We're working 'full-time' to help McMaster's part-time students,” Pohl said.

Part-time students frequently face the same financial barriers to education that full-time students dohowever, part-time students (studying at less than 60 per cent of a full course load) are not eligible for the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP), by far the province's most utilized student service.

In most cases, part-time students are also working to support themselves and/or their immediate families. The eligibility criteria for part-time students applying for Canada Student Loans can also be restrictive in terms of the student's income thresholds.

As a result, most part-time students are forced to take out high-interest, personal bank loans to finance their education.

Celebrating their 25th year serving and supporting the nearly 3,000 part-time students currently enrolled at McMaster, MAPS is committed to providing meaningful financial assistance to part-time students. Students currently enrolled in a part-time degree, diploma or certificate program demonstrating financial need will be eligible for The McMaster Association of Part-time Students 25th Anniversary Bursaries.

In response to the gift, University President Peter George told the Daily News, “Our part-time students are such an important part of our student body, and MAPS does a great job of representing them. I am most grateful to MAPS for their leadership in creating this new bursary fund which will provide much-needed support to many part-time students who need a financial boost to complete their studies.”

For more information on how to take advantage of the matching gift opportunity available through the McMaster Student Opportunity Fund, contact the development office at McMaster University at 905-525-9140, ext. 22733.

Photo caption: In the McMaster Association of Part-time Students' office, a $250,000 gift is celebrated with, from left, Walter Pohl, MAPS president, Rod Morrison, alumni advancement director, Peter George, McMaster President and Carole Armstrong, vice-president internal, social sciences. Photo credit: Chantall Van Raay