SACKVILLE, NB — Mount Allison University students have an exciting opportunity to support their learning experiences outside the classroom. The Jane Craighead and James Cherry Innovation Grant seeks to support students in a myriad of experiences, including entrepreneurship, community engagement projects, and development of product prototypes and new technologies.

The Craighead-Cherry Innovation Grants are made possible by a donation of $250,000 from Jane Craighead and James Cherry. The student grant is valued at $10,000 annually.
 
“Outside the box thinking is more critical today than ever. The Mt A model is the perfect setting to foster creative thinking and innovation,” says Craighead. “Where else can someone be so easily exposed to so much - the arts, the sciences and the social sciences? It is a natural incubator. We hope this innovation grant supports what is already alive and well at Mt A.”
 
Craighead is a Mount Allison Commerce graduate and long-time alumni volunteer. She previously served as Vice-Chair of the University’s Board of Regents and recently retired as Senior Vice-President, Global Human Resources with Scotiabank. Cherry has had a career in global aviation and retired from the role of CEO of Montreal’s Pierre Elliott Trudeau Airport in 2016.
 
Mount Allison University President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Jean-Paul Boudreau says opportunities like the Jane Craighead and James Cherry Innovation Grant encourage students to reach outside their comfort zones and foster dynamic thinking.
 
“By providing funding for students to pursue innovative education opportunities and business ideas, the Craighead-Cherry Innovation Grant furthers the culture of innovation on campus, one we are continuously striving for, as we work to support and prepare our students for their future paths,” says Boudreau. “On behalf of the Mount Allison community, thank you Jane and James for your forward-thinking and impactful gift to help support the next generation of leaders and innovators at Mount Allison.”
 
Co-ordinated through the University’s Office of Experiential Learning and Career Development, the Craighead-Cherry Innovation Grants support new and individualized student learning. 

The 2022 grant will be awarded for a project beginning this spring. This includes but is not limited to:

• Student-generated internships with a small business or start-up engaged in innovation 
• Seed funding for a student business concept or start-up 
• Funding for students to develop prototypes of new products, materials, or technologies 
• Research initiatives that make a significant contribution to the discourse on some of society’s most pressing issues 
• Market research serving an innovative business concept or idea 

Interested students should contact the Office of Experiential Learning and Career Development for more information and to submit their proposals (careers@mta.ca). Applications for 2022 are due Monday, Jan. 31.