Waterfront campus will be renamed the Daphne Cockwell Centre for Health Sciences
Waterfront campus will be renamed the Daphne Cockwell Centre for Health Sciences. Photo courtesy of George Brown College
George Brown College (GBC) has received its largest one-time donation from philanthropist and group chairman of Brookfield Jack Cockwell and the Brookfield Partners Foundation. The $8-million donation will see the Waterfront campus renamed to the Daphne Cockwell Centre for Health Sciences, in honour of Cockwell’s late mother. The contribution also represents the heftiest donation in the history of the Ontario college system, according to the college.
“This generous donation is a vote of confidence in George Brown’s contribution to Toronto’s economic development and its role in meeting employers’ needs,” said Anne Sado, president of GBC, in a written statement on Oct. 13. “Thank you to Jack Cockwell and the Brookfield Partners Foundation for investing in George Brown students for the benefit of our city’s future.”
The funding will go towards the college’s redevelopment and expansion plans, ensuring that all students receive proper training in state-of-the-art facilities and acquire the necessary skills required by employers, said the statement.
The Brookfield donation will contribute to GBC’s Success at Work campaign, which aims to put $250-million towards increasing scholarships and bursaries, as well as capital growth.
“It is fulfilling to see my mother’s legacy carried forward in the name of a building dedicated to creating the next generation of nurses, dental health professionals, health and wellness workers and others who make invaluable contributions to the population’s well-being,” said Cockwell.
