With an established career in the construction industry and a young daughter to care for, pursuing a university degree seemed like an unrealistic dream. But thanks to the generous support of donors to the University of Saskatchewan (USask) Campaign for Students, Alderton is in his final year of a Bachelor of Arts Honours program in philosophy in the College of Arts and Science.

“Donors have reinforced my decision and made me realize, ‘Yes, I am on the right path. This is where I am supposed to be,’ which is a huge deal for me because I never thought university would be an attainable goal,” Alderton said.

Donor support in the form of scholarships has allowed him to attend conferences and travel abroad, and even present three of his papers. He presented two at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, B.C., and one at Bridgewater State University, in Bridgewater, Mass. Alderton finds that other students are curious about the learning opportunities he has pursued outside of the classroom.

“People like to focus on the travelling I have done because it is exciting.  But I would not be able to do any of it without the support I have received,” he said.

“Scholarships have benefited not only me, but also my daughter, and opened up new possibilities for us both. She is only six years old, but she is adamant about going to USask when she’s older.”

Alderton said that while her daughter doesn’t yet understand the importance of donors, she does understand how important the university is to her father.

“Because it is such a huge part of my life and impacts us so much, she cannot wait to go here, she loves the university,” Alderton explained.

Alderton cannot say thank you enough to USask donors.

“I can only express my absolute gratitude,” he said. “And thanks to you, you have opened up a world that I did not even know existed.” 

The University of Saskatchewan’s Campaign for Students raises money to sponsor student scholarships and bursaries, pursue research projects, support volunteer initiatives, attend conferences and workshops, and help open the door to study abroad opportunities.

Last year, the campaign raised more than $1.9-million for USask students to support them in their pursuits. Donations to this year’s campaign opens up a world of possibilities and helps students make their mark on the world. To learn more, or to make your gift, visit: give.usask.ca/students.