The University of the Philippines Alumni Association in Toronto held “A Special Evening - for UP Alumni and their Friends” on October 18, 2003 at the Garnet A. Williams Community Centre. This dinner and dance affair was also the occasion for the launch of a major fund raising campaign. Dr. Mario Andres and Dr. Vicky Santiago, both named outstanding alumni in 2002, were named co-chairs of the UPAA Toronto Scholarship Fund. “We accepted the challenge because we believe this will be a great legacy of the UPAA Toronto”, explained Dr. Andres. “We have chosen to raise an endowment fund because its benefits can be enjoyed in perpetuity. The fund has to be large enough to generate annual interest sufficient to support a student. An endowment fund also allows us to name it after the donor, which will be UPAA Toronto.”

The goal for this campaign was the equivalent of P1.2 million in Canadian funds. Dr. Mario Andres had hoped to reach this goal in 2 years.

The fund will provide a permanent scholarship for a deserving undergraduate student from the College of Arts and Sciences. Any donation to this fund will be deposited in an account separate from the UPAA general account.

The initial fund raising was solely through donations. Colored lapel pins that designate the amount of donation was given to acknowledge the donors. Donors of $500 or more got a gold pin. A silver pin went to those who gave $250, and a bronze pin to those who donated $100. Dr. Andres urged alumni members to donate with this message: : “Please give generously to this monumental project. Be PROUD TO BE A U.P. GRAD, DONATE TO THE STUDENT FUND!”