In celebration of their 25th anniversary, the McMaster University Retirees Association (MURA) has endowed their annual scholarship, allowing the organization to provide even more assistance to students.

The McMaster University Retirees Association Scholarship & Prize will assist one full-time and one part-time gerontology student each year. Awarded since 1992, the scholarship had previously come out of MURA's operating budget, but a three-year fundraising campaign, in partnership with the Office of Alumni Advancement, allowed MURA to raise $40,000 to endow it.

MURA will be able to do more, however, than just permanently endow the award.

“Because the fund has already grown beyond the base amount required to support the annual awards, we will be able to give out larger amounts in future years,” explained former MURA president Helen Barton.

With the award, MURA will be able build their relationship with the student community, which they hope will continue to be a mutually beneficial endeavour.

“The endowment ensures that McMaster's gerontology students will receive support from McMaster's retirees in perpetuity,” said Barton. “But it also provides an ongoing connection between the retirees and the student recipients.”

Providing assistance for students in order to promote excellence at McMaster is one of MURA's organizational goals.

“MURA members decided that endowing the fund was a significant and worthy initiative to mark the association's 25th year,” says Barton. “The project not only reflects MURA's goals but also provides an opportunity for all retirees to support students through giving.”

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