“I have high hopes of being able to attend medical school,” says Avery Lam-Hong. “At the same time, volunteering has always been close to my heart.” Balancing those worthy ambitions can be extremely demanding as Avery pursues his fourth-year studies in health sciences at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) while donating his time and energy to a wide range of philanthropic activities – from supporting Vietnamese community organizations, to serving as a youth team leader at Mississauga Hospital, to organizing a public panel on anti-Asian racism during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Avery is also the Group Advising Team Leader at UTM’s International Education Centre. “I work with incoming international students,” he explains, “helping ensure they have a fulfilling university experience and are exposed to all the opportunities to get involved, build confidence and foster connections on campus and in the community.”
During the past year, Avery’s balancing act became a bit easier when he received the Service Above Self bursary, endowed by the Rotary Club of Mississauga West. The annual award recognizes UTM students who participate in volunteer activities that contribute to civic betterment, answer community needs or improve the quality of life.
“These are the values that define me,” Avery says. “And the support has been critical to helping me continue my dream of a medical career.” Facing less financial pressure has also freed the aspiring doctor and mental health advocate to pursue even more volunteer opportunities: “Although I could use that time to work and be paid, community service and giving back is what I want to do. The bursary makes that possible.”
Scholarships, bursaries and other forms of financial assistance to students account for the largest share of the total paid out annually from the University of Toronto’s endowment funds. For the U of T fiscal year ending April 30, 2021, about $1.35 billion – representing 43% of the University’s total $3.2 billion in endowments* – was directed to student support.
Avery Lam-Hong is one of 40 students who’ve benefited so far from the Service Above Self bursary. Sustained by the Rotary Club’s generous original donation, the fund had provided more than $125,000 in support through the end of the 2021 fiscal year.
* The “Endowment portfolio” managed by UTAM – also called the Long-Term Capital Appreciation Pool – comprises the University’s endowment funds plus other investment assets. As of April 30, 2021, U of T’s fiscal year-end, the total value of the Endowment portfolio was $3.8 billion, including $3.2 billion of endowment funds plus $0.6 billion of other long-term assets. (At UTAM’s year-end – December 31, 2021 – the Endowment portfolio was valued at $4.2 billion.)