A boost to innovation

A $250,000 donation from Canada Life will support education and economic development through Innovation Village

FANSHAWE COLLEGE HAS announced a $250,000 donation from Canada Life in support of the college’s new Innovation Village.

Located at Fanshawe’s London campus, Innovation Village will be a physical and virtual hub where students will discover one-stop support and exceptional learning opportunities. It will include collaborative workspaces, virtual reality and multimedia labs, a maker space, project rooms, research support, a food processing lab and cutting-edge equipment. Community partners will be invited to access the expert resources of students and professors through project work, with a view to fueling economic growth and social benefits while expanding student opportunities to collaborate with local businesses and industries.

“Fanshawe is incredibly grateful to Canada Life for this generous gift in support of Innovation Village,” says Peter Devlin, president of Fanshawe College. “Innovation Village will equip students with the skills they need to quickly adapt and respond to emerging trends in virtually every industry. Having the support of valued community partners like Canada Life makes a real difference for our students.”

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According to a release from Fanshawe, the school and Canada Life have a long history of collaboration. Canada Life supports education at Fanshawe through direct student support, offering co-op and career placements, capital funding and supporting employees who are donors and volunteers of the College.

“An investment in post-secondary education is an investment in the future. That’s why we’re thrilled to support Fanshawe College and its Innovation Village, which aims to offer innovative, hands-on learning to prepare students for the changing work world,” notes Jeff Macoun, president and chief operating officer, Canada, at Canada Life. “When they graduate, students will have the essential technical and human skills employers are looking for to thrive in a competitive workspace. As a large employer in London and across Canada, we’ve directly benefited from the wealth of highly trained students ― and we look forward to welcoming many more in the years to come.”

Construction of Innovation Village is currently underway and is anticipated to be complete by 2023.