Why I give: Jeremy Read

Tue. Jan. 31, 2023

As Chief Executive Officer of UWinnipeg’s Community Renewal Corporation (UWCRC) and their subsidiary company, UWCRC 2.0, Jeremy Read has helped oversee his fair share of positive change on campus—in both the physical spaces where students and faculty teach and learn, and the surrounding neighborhood where the university’s community members live and work. Having graduated from UWinnipeg in 1998 as an English and Philosophy major, Jeremy began his working career as a part of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority’s Mobile Crisis Service before getting started in provincial politics. A public servant for the majority of his tenure, Jeremy served in a variety of roles prior to 2011—which included acting as Lead Provincial Coordinator for the Council of Ministers of Education Canada’s policy and planning branch, a Special Assistant for both the Minister of Advanced Education and Literacy and Minister of Water Stewardship, and policy analyst for a brief period.

Since returning to his alma mater in 2011, Jeremy has given continuously to various scholarships and bursaries, including two with which he shares a close personal connection. The Vasyl (Bill) Balan International Students from Ukraine Bursary Fund and The Sherman Kreiner CRC 1.0 and 2.0 Employee Tuition Scholarship are both initiatives Jeremy notes as being priorities for his efforts as a donor—the former of which was created by Jeremy’s late colleague and founding UWCRC Director, Bill Balan, before he passed to aid undergraduate students from Ukraine coming abroad to study, while the latter helps cover tuition costs for full or part-time employees of the UWCRC and UWCRC 2.0, their spouses, and eligible dependents completing an undergraduate program at UWinnipeg.

Besides his personal interest in giving, Jeremy says that, “I feel a deep-seated connection to this institution. A university operating in the downtown core of Winnipeg has a role to play in helping the community that surrounds it. As a student, I remember being part of a culture of giving back, one that prioritized initiatives centered on fundraising and social justice efforts to aid those in need. As a donor, I believe in a university that shows it cares about its neighbors and shares in their concerns too. Making learning accessible and focusing on local impact are two things I am proud to support.”

For those who might be interested in giving, Jeremy goes on to say that, “ultimately, there’s no poor outcome for those who donate. Nothing helps people succeed quite like a university degree. As a donor, you’re able to support such a wide range of opportunities, from students living in residence to the scholarships, bursaries, and programs the university offers.”

Jeremy’s team at both UWCRC and UWCRC 2.0 are responsible for working with the University, public, and private organizations to transform Winnipeg’s urban core to meet the needs of those living downtown. In addition to their efforts on our campus, UWCRC and UWCRC 2.0 both play a role in helping develop affordable housing and infrastructure not only in Winnipeg, but across other towns in Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario as well.