Dr. David Ross, SAIT President and CEO; Kathy Looman, Gene Haas Foundation administrator; and David Roberge, Dean, SAIT School of Manufacturing & Automation.
Calgary — The Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) received a $1million (US) contribution from the Gene Haas Foundation in support of applied education in Alberta. This is the U.S.-based foundation’s largest gift to any Canadian post-secondary institution to date.
These major funds will further strengthen SAIT and the Gene Haas Foundation’s shared goal of training excellence in manufacturing and automation.
“The long-term partnerships we foster with industry are vital in setting our students up for success,” says Dr. David Ross, SAIT President and CEO. “This generous gift from the Gene Haas Foundation inspires industry confidence and is testament to SAIT’s global leadership in applied education. The relationship we are building with the foundation will be transformative, enabling cross-industry diversification for our students for years to come.”
“Gene Haas believes a manufacturing base is fundamental to a strong economy,” says Kathy Looman, Gene Haas Foundation administrator. “This passionate view led him to grow his personal foundation and focus on manufacturing education throughout North America. Our foundation now provides millions of dollars in scholarships annually, as well as funds for the growth of selected capital projects, for outstanding programs delivered by respected educational institutions such as SAIT.”
The funds will be used to expand and enhance SAIT’s machining labs at the Thomas Riley building through the School of Manufacturing and Automation. Renovations are scheduled to begin in early 2017. When complete, the new project-based labs will contain SAIT’s already state-of-the-art, industry-standard, computer numerical control (CNC) machining equipment.
SAIT prepares students for careers by offering programs through eight schools, including the School of Manufacturing and Automation. Within each school, instructors bring their industry expertise to students who learn through a combination of theory and action-based learning. SAIT schools are also equipped with high-tech labs, allowing students to get hands-on experience and training using real-world equipment.
About the Gene Haas Foundation
In 1999, Gene Haas, owner of Haas Automation, Inc., America’s leading builder of CNC machine tools, founded the Gene Haas Foundation to fund the needs of the local community. Gene’s commitment to the importance of US manufacturing incited him to grow his foundation and direct his foundation board to focus on manufacturing education in the form of scholarships for CNC machinist training. To date, more than 2000 charitable organizations and schools have received more than $48 million from the Gene Haas Foundation. ghaasfoundation.org
About SAIT
SAIT is a global leader in applied education, driven by enterprising collaborations with people and partners from around the world. Action-based learning in more than 100 career programs and over 1,400 part-time courses (including online and distance) empowers students to find success and build a future as entrepreneur, leaders and community builders. SAIT is honoured to be named Best Workplace for Volunteerism and Community Involvement for 2016 by Alberta Venture Magazine. sait.ca
