(BRAMPTON, ON – November 2, 2026) Algoma University students from the Faculty of Business and Professional Studies helped raise $14,000 for Grace Court, an independent living residence for active, low- and modest-income seniors in Brampton, through their participation in The Grand Parade, an annual fundraising walk supporting local charities that care for seniors and their families.
Over four months, students from two fourth-year courses, led by Professor Shahrukh Khan, collaborated with Grace Court to encourage volunteer participation, engage donors, and ensure the successful execution of the event as part of their final course projects. Students developed a digital campaign to support volunteer recruitment and encourage donations, designing advertisements to recruit high school volunteers and creating engaging digital content for Grace Court’s social media channels. The social media campaign generated 40 sign-ups within two days.
Algoma University students also developed clear operational procedures and supported the Grace Court team with event planning, helping to ensure the organization’s participation in The Grand Parade ran smoothly.
“Working with Grace Court has been a privilege for our students,” said Professor Shahrukh Khan, Business Professor at Algoma University. “To support Grace Court’s fundraising efforts, students came up with a smart strategy to reach high school students through social media and designed engaging ads encouraging them to volunteer, while also raising the retirement community’s profile to help increase donations. Algoma University’s partnership with Grace Court provided students with the opportunity to apply what they learned in the classroom to real-world marketing, operational, and financial challenges. I am grateful to the Grace Court Board of Directors for trusting our students to help with such an important fundraising event, and proud of what this graduating class put together.”
Supporting The Grand Parade builds on the partnership between Algoma University and Grace Court, which began in 2024.
“Algoma University students have made a meaningful impact on Grace Court through their volunteer recruitment, social media campaign, and fundraising strategy,” said Dan Clark, Board Member of Grace Court Retirement. “Their work helped raise our profile in Brampton, which has been invaluable. Through The Grand Parade, we raised $14,000 for essential accessibility upgrades to our building, specifically, to convert existing bathtubs into modern, accessible showers to better support our residents. We value our ongoing partnership with Algoma University and look forward to exploring more opportunities to work with students in the future.”
Algoma University’s ongoing partnership with Grace Court demonstrates how students can put their education into action, develop valuable professional skills, and contribute to building stronger communities.
To view the pictures from the event, click here.
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