From scholarships to residence life programs, volunteer opportunities, and professors who care; our alumni give back to students.

Thanks to alumni and friends, Acadia University delivers an exceptional student experience. Third-year engineering student, Michael Rumsby (’18) has benefitted from that generosity since arriving on campus from his Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, home.

Leaving home to attend university was a big step for Rumsby, who developed a tight bond with his mother when he was treated for brain cancer while a middle school student.

“We’d spent so much time together during my recovery that I knew it would be tough for us to be apart,” he says. “But I also knew it would be good for us to be apart – just not too far apart.”

Three universities were in the running, and Acadia won out because of the promise of personal attention and scholarship offers. “Being a student is a full-time job, so getting financial help allowed me to focus on what I came here to do. I know I made the right choice.”

Rumsby is already following the footsteps of those who give back. He is an IWK ambassador, S.M.I.L.E. volunteer, and residence assistant at Cutten House, his home away from home. As for his future, he says he’s keeping his options open because he wants to do something to help others facing cancer treatment.

He knows he can make a difference, saying, “at Acadia, you become part of something. It’s not just about getting an education; it’s about learning who you are and who you can be.”

Rumsby recently volunteered for the IWK Telethon, which featured an inspiring video story of his journey. Watch video.

-30-