VIU Appoints United Way Employee Giving Campaign Associate for 2017

Vancouver Island University is proud to enter a second decade of partnership with United Way by appointing our 11th Campaign Associate to coordinate VIU’s annual Employee Giving Campaign and to assist United Way during their busiest campaign season. In 2016, VIU staff contributed more than $40,000 across our three campuses and the Parksville-Qualicum Centre. This total was a record-breaking 12% increase over the previous year’s collective donation, topping the year’s goal and establishing a new record for VIU fundraising.

United Way funding supports local, non-profit programs and services, and helps ensure the needs of our most vulnerable community members are met.

Laura Shanner, VIU Instructor of Applied Ethics and Health Care Policy, will be returning as this year’s United Way Campaign Associate to build on this success.

“Sharing this position with Deborah Hopper last year, learning from United Way staff and agencies, and interacting with employees across VIU was such a rewarding experience that I was asking to return for 2017 even before we had finished our 2016 final reports,” she says.

“I plan to spend more time this year talking with campus colleagues, person-to-person, to explain why I am so passionate about the important work done by United Way and the community agencies it supports. I also want to create resources to make the position easier for future Campaign Associates. I was so heartened to see that VIU is truly committed to United Way, and I want to deepen that relationship for the long term.”

Laura knows just how important United Way agencies are for filling gaps in healthcare and social support systems. Laura says that “as both a long-time donor and Campaign Associate, I am so proud to be part of this coordinated effort to strengthen our communities.”

For more information about the campaign, or to learn how you can help make “United Way Month at VIU” in October a rousing success, please contact Laura Shanner via email.