Two prominent Edmonton business leaders are heading up the MacEwan Means Business campaign committee with a goal of raising $25 million. The campaign officially kicked off at an event on MacEwan’s campus on April 13.
Those funds will be put towards construction of a seven-storey School of Business building that will be the newest addition to MacEwan’s campus.
Construction on the site at 109 Street and 105 Avenue is set to begin this year. The building is expected to open in 2027.
“We’ve met with community and business leaders and the response to this campaign has been clear,” says John Day, co-chair of the committee and president of John Day Developments in his remarks to the crowd at the event. “It isn’t only a win for MacEwan University, but it is also a massive opportunity for our downtown core, local industries and our city as a whole.”
Once constructed, the new School of Business building will provide space for MacEwan’s student body to grow by 7,500 students.
“MacEwan University is an academic leader, and increasing its enrollment capacity directly translates into our city’s ability to provide growing industries and local economies with a skilled workforce for the future,” says Rob Seidel, co-chair of the committee and Canada Managing Partner, DLA Piper. “Having smart, inventive, community-minded talent can make or break a business’ bottom line, and time and time again, we’ve seen these attributes from MacEwan graduates, across all academic disciplines.”
Based on the advice of community partners, the new School of Business building will purposefully be built facing north, bridging the downtown and communities and social service agencies on the north edge.
“This new School of Business building is about more than just our campus,” says Dr. Annette Trimbee, MacEwan’s president and vice-chancellor. “It’s also about our students, and future students, and giving the best possible academic experience that allows them to dream big, chase opportunities and create an Edmonton where we can all thrive.”
Watch a message from Dr. Annette Trimbee, president and vice-chancellor, MacEwan University
Take a video tour through MacEwan’s School of Business building