Belleville, Ontario, November 15, 2013 – Loyalist College is pleased to announce “James Marker – Rotary Way,” a walkway leading into the Sustainable Skills, Technology and Life Sciences Centre. On November 13, the naming ceremony was held in recognition of the Rotary Club of Belleville’s $75,000 donation to the Campaign for Loyalist College in support of the Skills Centre.
Rotary Way honours the late James E. Marker, who served as President of Belleville Rotary in 1967-68 and who provided a generous bequest to the Rotary Club through his estate. He was the founder and inventor of the Hawkins Cheezie, backed by W.T. Hawkins. In addition, he established the Belleville Airport in 1961, where he flew his Apache plane.
Rotary Club of Belleville President Paul Vandegraaf said, “This is a tremendous initiative for our Club and Loyalist College, in memory of Jim Marker.”
Campaign Co-Chair Wilf Wilkinson congratulated and thanked Club members for their vision and support. “Loyalist is so important to our community and our region,” he said. “This Skills Centre and the programs offered here are critical to the economy and our ability to train and re-train individuals for the jobs of today and of the future. Thank you for this support.”
The 121,800-square-foot Skills Centre was built in 2010-11 with a $16.6 million investment from the provincial and federal governments. The Campaign for Loyalist College launched in June 2012 with an overall goal of $6 million. Major commitments from the community have pushed the total support to $5.5 million, helping the College meet and exceed its target of $1 million for student financial assistance.
“On behalf of the College, I would like to thank the members of the Rotary Club of Belleville for this very generous commitment, which benefits our students and our community,” said Loyalist College President Maureen Piercy. “Providing our students with access to state-of-the-art equipment in the Skills Centre means our graduates and their employers benefit immediately.”
Loyalist College prepares students for a rewarding career by combining rigorous academic standards with hands-on training from industry experts. Programs range from apprenticeships and certificates to diplomas and post-graduate studies. Loyalist offers 65 full-time programs and 77 university transfer agreements around the world. The best testament to the College’s value is from students, 96 percent of whom say they would recommend Loyalist to a friend. Loyalist is committed to helping students find great jobs, as well as supporting and enhancing the economic and social development of all individuals in its communities.
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Contact: Dianne Spencer, Executive Director, College Advancement and External Relations, Loyalist College, dspencer@loyalistc.on.ca, (613) 969-1913, ext. 2235