Irving K. Barber donates $2.5 million to provide educational opportunities at Kwantlen.

Irving K. Barber Endowment for Educational Opportunities

Kwantlen’s mission is to offer all learners, regardless of background and preparation, opportunities to achieve the highest standards of academic performance. As an open access university we work with many students who would not be able to attend post-secondary education.

A Student Transitions and Mobility study conducted in 2009 showed that almost 58 per cent of BC high school grads in 2007 who enrolled at Kwantlen in 2007/08 did not meet the admission requirements to attend a traditional university. Yet thanks to Kwantlen’s commitment to accessibility these students are eagerly invited to attend our school and more than that, these students achieve results equal to, or in many cases surpassing, students in traditional universities. Statistics produced by BC Stats attest that KPU graduates achieve the highest rate of employment and earn the most money two years post graduation over graduates of any other university in the Province.

The Irving K. Barber Endowment for Educational Opportunities will bridge this challenge. This fund will transcend every academic program that Kwantlen offers at each of its campuses. From a mature student entering school after many years absence, to a new immigrant to Canada, to someone who simply wants to make a life change for the better, the endowment will exist to provide the ability to support and educate those who have long felt university is not an option for them.

The Irving K. Barber Endowment will provide support that undergraduate students traditionally do not receive. From an academic assessment upon entering Kwantlen, to monitoring and follow-up assessments, tutoring, supplementary instruction and seminars, Kwantlen students will greatly benefit from such a rich resource.

Through the creation of The Irving K. Barber Endowment for Educational Opportunities, students from every walk of life, regardless of academic, geographical, cultural or economic background, will not only have access to, but will be supported throughout, post-secondary education. Indeed, as Kwantlen Polytechnic University is committed to absolute accessibility, it has an obligation to provide for its students in a way unlike traditional universities.

Kwantlen’s commitment to open access is one of its cornerstones as a university. Education is a process of growth which is different for different people, and Kwantlen is committed to providing an opportunity to students who might not otherwise consider going to post-secondary.

Through its Faculty of Academic & Career Preparation and Division of Student Life and Community, Kwantlen works to provide an environment that encourages and supports all its students.