THANK YOU!
Together, we have achieved something incredible. With your support, USask’s Be What the World Needs campaign has raised a historic $570,739,155 for this university, this province, and beyond.
BY THE NUMBERS
The Be What the World Needs campaign spanned 10 years and raised $570,739,155 for more than 2,600 initiatives across our campuses. Many of the gifts are already at work—supporting the people, places and projects that will contribute to a brighter future for our province and our world.
Throughout this campaign, more than 27,000 donors, including one in nine USask alumni, made more than 101,000 gifts ranging from individual contributions to large corporate donations. Of the total number of supporters, more than 10,500 were first-time donors to USask.
Supporters from 44 countries around the globe supported our mission to be the university the world needs.
More than 14,500 donations were made to support research that will aid in solving the world’s greatest challenges. During the campaign, 23 research chairs were established across our campuses.
More than 950 scholarships were created to support Indigenous students thanks to the generosity of our donor community.
With the support of our USask community, more than $90 million was invested into new and enhanced learning environments, state-of-the-art athletics facilities, and collaborative spaces.
Current and future students will benefit from more than 30,000 gifts directed toward enhancing the student experience, including 7,800 donations to support our Huskie student-athletes and 3,921 gifts to support mental health and emergency funding for students in need.
CAMPAIGN HIGHLIGHTS
From transformative gifts to inspiring personal donations, here are just some of the donors and initiatives that helped us cross the finish line of this historic campaign—shaping a stronger future for the people, projects and places at our university and beyond.
Nutrien
As the largest single gift to the Be What the World Needs campaign, Nutrien’s transformational $15 million donation to the University of Saskatchewan marked a bold investment in the future of sustainable agriculture and education. The gift will establish the Nutrien Centre for Sustainable and Digital Agriculture, fund scholarships for students in agriculture and engineering, and support Indigenous and community engagement through the kihci-okâwîmâw askiy (Great Mother Earth) Knowledge Centre. It also included the creation of a modern lecture theatre in the College of Engineering and the Nutrien Future Fund, further strengthening a decades-long partnership dedicated to global food security and innovation.
Oẏateki Partnership
The Oẏateki Partnership is a transformative collaboration between the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies, and Gabriel Dumont Institute, aimed at reshaping education and employment systems for Indigenous youth. With generous support from the Mastercard Foundation, this initiative was grounded in Indigenous leadership and community engagement, working to create culturally relevant, sustainable pathways to success. The partnership was a powerful step toward systemic change, empowering Indigenous learners and strengthening opportunities across Saskatchewan.
IDEAS Expansion
The College of Engineering’s IDEAS (Innovation, Design, Engineering, Applied Science) expansion is reshaping the future of engineering education through a bold, multi-phase initiative. With the support of multiple generous donors, phase one of the project includes the creation of a dynamic new design hub, extensive classroom and laboratory renovations, and enhanced collaborative learning spaces. These upgrades are designed to foster innovation, hands-on learning, and interdisciplinary collaboration – equipping students with the tools and environment they need to thrive in a rapidly evolving world.
Grit and Scott McCreath
Grit (BEd'91) and Scott (BComm'69) McCreath have generously contributed more than $2 million to USask, supporting student scholarships, academic programs, and the enhancement of student learning environments. Their philanthropy is visibly reflected in two key spaces on campus: the Grit & Scott McCreath Library Learning Commons and the Grit and Scott McCreath Active Learning Classroom in the College of Education. The McCreaths have been passionate advocates for USask, serving on the Campaign Cabinet in addition to Scott's role as Executive in Residence in the Edwards School of Business, and Grit's role as USask Chancellor.
Gordon and Jill Rawlinson
Gordon (BComm’68, LLD’19) and Jill (LLD'23) Rawlinson personify what it means to be community builders, with a remarkable record of philanthropy and business success. They generously supported a number of initiatives throughout the campaign, including research at VIDO, a major renovation to the Rawlinson Indigenous Student Centre, and creation of the Gordon Rawlinson Finance and Trading Room – a true showpiece of modern finance education that houses 16 state-of-the-art Bloomberg terminals.
Cameco
In a landmark act of generosity, Cameco gifted $10 million to USask – the largest single donation in the company’s history. This visionary investment will fuel the development of a new undergraduate Nuclear Fuel Cycle program, a graduate certificate in Energy and Resource Management, and initiatives that inspire northern and Indigenous students to pursue STEM education. As the world looks to nuclear energy as a cornerstone of a cleaner, more sustainable future, this gift underscores the powerful partnership between Cameco and USask – one rooted in shared values, innovation, and a commitment to shaping a brighter tomorrow.
USask aspires to be the university the world needs.