Nipissing OUF giveaway a game changer

This year at the Ontario Universities’ Fair, Nipissing University is bucking the trend in terms of swag, giving away good vibes and helping people while attracting students who want to make a difference. 
Free pens, posters and hats and bags are common giveaways to attract the attention of potential students at the Ontario Universities’ Fair; Nipissing, however, will make a donation toShannen’s Dream for every student who registers at their booth by providing contact information.

The charity aims to provide equitable education for all.

Shannen Koostachin was a youth education advocate from Attawapiskat First Nation.  She worked tirelessly to provide safe schools and culturally based education for First Nations children and youth.  First Nations schools receive less funding per student than Provincial and Territorial schools, and are without funding for things like libraries, computers, languages or extracurricular activities.

Koostachin tragically passed away at the age of 15 in 2010.  Named in her memory, Shannen’s Dream engages Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples to better understand the education inequities and to take action to ensure every one receives a proper education. 

For every student that registers, Nipissing will donate $1 to the charity. 

With booth signage that reads:You’ll feel good about helping and we guarantee you won’t miss the pen, this year’s giveaway will make a meaningful difference with the funds that have typically been spent on branded trinkets to give away at the fair. 

“We wanted to accomplish more with our giveaway, to better reflect the culture at Nipissing and be more targeted to those students who are social justice-minded and want to make a positive difference in our world,” said Kelly Brown, advertising and publications officer at Nipissing University. “Nipissing is a comprehensive university with a number of first generation and Aboriginal learners, so equitable education for all fits nicely with our brand.”