Donor, students, and faculty collaborate to revamp inclusive space for students and beyond
Gifts to educational institutions come in all shapes and sizes, and for all purposes – most often guided by the vision of a donor and developed to align with an existing or future need at a university. But what if the students drove the vision for the gift and contributed to its design based on their needs specific to a profession, like teaching?
“When we were looking at making improvements to the Teaching Preparation Centre,” says James Nahachewsky, Dean of the Faculty of Education, "it seemed to me that the best people to determine the changes needed, coupled with the generosity and foresight of our donor Dr. Max Schmeiser, is our students.”
The faculty conducted a survey of students this spring to gather feedback on what changes would take the Teaching Preparation Centre (TPC) to the next level.
Thanks to Dr. Schmeiser’s transformational gift and the feedback from our students, the Faculty of Education will finally have a deeply collaborative space to support active learning and connect with community in new ways. — James Nahachewsky, Dean, Faculty of Education
And respond they did.
“Really, it was the student voices that emerged that said, here’s what will benefit us tremendously, not only when we’re in our teacher education programs, but also as we head out into the field,” explains Nahachewsky.
The results of the survey were strong and clear – students wanted a welcoming, interactive, and flexible space that would allow them to customize it to suit their learning needs. This includes the creation of personal workstations, interactive multimedia nodes where they can engage with others at a distance, spaces for collaboration and community engagement, as well as increased access to print and digital resources, and the addition of a refreshment bar.
“We are now able to create the dynamism and contemporary nature of post-secondary learning environments, and better reflect the realities of what our students are going to encounter when they become teachers,” says Nahachewsky. “What we are doing together, thanks to the generosity of Dr. Schmeiser, is going to transform the learning experience of current and future education students at the University.”
This spring, Max and Maria Schmeiser donated $100,000 to support the revitalization of the Teaching Preparation Centre in the U of R’s Faculty of Education. The faculty is providing an additional $100,000 in matching funding to reimagine the main gathering hub for students and community in connection with a collaborative workspace and a resource room.
“I inherited the importance of giving from my family,” says Schmeiser. “My parents were always thoughtful about giving and made it clear that sharing what you had and giving back to community is an important part of who we are. I carry that value with me and we’re fortunate to be in a position where we can give back.”
With his PhD in Economics, Schmeiser, BAHons’03 did some investigation into the impact that education — particularly primary education — has on socioeconomic outcomes.
“Primary education is critical,” stresses Schmeiser. “There’s plenty of research showing just how impactful it is on children. It’s one of the highest return-on-investment activities you can do. So it’s a shame that in Canada and the US, teaching isn’t as well-regarded professionally as it is in places like Korea where they recognize the importance of having strong educators in early life.”
Both Max Schmeiser and his sibling Jerome Schmeiser, BA’13 have strong connections to the University of Regina. For Max, as an undergraduate student studying economics, the learning environment at the University of Regina helped pave the way for his career working for global giants Amazon, Twitter, and Netflix in leadership positions.
“I had great connections with the faculty and opportunities to experience both teaching and research assistant roles,” explains Max. “They really engaged their students in their research, and I got to participate in research papers and be published. That was a critical experience and now, I want to show my appreciation for the great education and support I received.”
Jerome completed a degree in Biology in 2013 from the U of R before deciding a decade later to make a career transition and become a teacher. The TPC has played a central role throughout their time as an education student.
“I wouldn’t have had nearly as positive an experience without the TPC,” says Jerome, who will be completing their classroom internship this fall. “It acted like a comfortable hub for me as an education student. Any time I spent on campus that wasn’t in class, I was in the TPC.”
Although education students are the primary focus for the new TPC, the space will also welcome other students from different faculties across campus and provide an opportunity for community use and collaboration, beginning in fall 2026.
“Thanks to Dr. Schmeiser’s transformational gift and the feedback from our students, the Faculty of Education will finally have a deeply collaborative space to support active learning and connect with community in new ways,” says Nahachewsky. “I’m looking forward to a TPC that is humming with the energy and activity of our students.”
To find out more about the University of Regina's Teaching Preparation Centre, visit the web page.
Banner photo credit: U of R Faculty of Education.