New facility at Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus to be named Segal Family International Centre
At its Seafood Gala on the evening of April 5, Niagara College announced that the family of Keith and Sharon Segal have given more than $1 million to support international education at the College.
The generous $1,050,000 donation – half of which will support the development of, and equipment and furnishings for, NC’s new International Centre located at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus – was announced by College president Dan Patterson to an audience of almost 700 business, education and community leaders at the Gala, which is NC’s signature fundraising event.
“On behalf of all of us at Niagara College, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Segal family for this generous gift,” said NC president Dan Patterson. “Keith and Sharon Segal are long-standing supporters and friends of Niagara College whose passion for international education and philanthropic giving have helped thousands of students, not just at Niagara College, but across Canada. The Segals truly understand the transformative impact international students have on our campuses and in our communities, and the value of students studying abroad.”
This new Centre will significantly enhance the College’s ability to support its growing international student body, and the donation will enable students to benefit from study and work abroad activities. Fifty per cent of this gift will provide scholarships to international students attending NC, and Be World Ready bursaries for International Field Studies, semester exchanges and internship and co-op abroad, preparing students to become ‘world-ready’ graduates.
In recognition of the Segal family’s generous gift, NC will name the new facility at its NOTL Campus the Segal Family International Centre. The space is designed as a welcoming, one-stop service for international students to support their success. The Segal International Centre at NC’s Welland Campus is named in recognition of a previous $500,000 donation from Keith and Sharon Segal, along with their years of support for NC’s scholarships and instructional equipment and learning resources.
“As a family, we are very proud to support Niagara College’s growing international division and its diverse student population,” said Keith Segal, president and founder of guard.me International Insurance. “We feel that international education is the best tool for changing the world as it allows students to experience, investigate, understand and respect other cultures and ways of living. We could solve a lot of the problems in this world through understanding and respect for other people, and that’s what international education does.”
Keith and Sharon Segal are owners of guard.me International Insurance, and Keith Segal, CLU is president and CEO. Founded in 1998, guard.me International Insurance is one of the world’s largest insurance providers in international education, receiving numerous national and international awards for its client-focused approach and customized services. As part of its long-term investment in the field of international education, guard.me also regularly gives back to the community it serves in the form of resources, scholarships and funding.
Since 2002, Niagara College and guard.me have enjoyed a close and mutually-beneficial partnership, supporting students – over the past 17 years, tens of thousands of NC students have been served by guard.me. Keith and Sharon have been long-time supporters and great friends to Niagara College over the years, and many NC students have realized their educational and career goals thanks to scholarships supported by the Segal family.
The Seafood Gala is Niagara College’s signature annual fundraising event raising more than $2.8 million over the past 29 years to fund equipment, learning resources, scholarships and bursaries for students. This premier event, supported by many Niagara College student volunteers, features a sumptuous buffet with a variety of decadent seafood dishes and more to please every palate, accompanied by Niagara College wines. Guests enjoy an elegant evening filled with live entertainment, music, dancing, and silent and live auctions. For more information, visit ncseafoodgala.wordpress.com.
