December 12, 2005 Source: University of New Brunswick - Saint John:
http://www.unb.ca/news/view.cgi?id=929 FREDERICTON ENTREPRENEURS GIVE BACK TO UNB WITH CREATION OF SCHOLARSHIP December 12, 2005
UNB Fredericton News Release: D566
John Suart, Campaign Communications & Events Manager (506) 458-7548 Ram and Nirmal Singhal remember the first day they came to Fredericton from India in 1967. They had nothing, except their hopes and dreams for a better future for their growing family. "Fredericton has been good to our family," said Mrs. Singhal. "We came to this country with eight dollars in our pockets and a University of New Brunswick scholarship." Through hard work and perseverance they created a life for themselves in Fredericton, becoming UNB graduates and successful real estate developers. Now, almost 40 years later, they are donating $11,000 to UNB’s Forging Our Futures Campaign to create a scholarship for students on the Fredericton campus. It’s their way of giving back to the community. "Whatever good fortune we have had in our lives has come from the support of our adopted country, Canada, from the City of Fredericton, and from the University of New Brunswick," said Mrs. Singhal. "Now it is time for us to help make a difference in other’s lives as others have done for us." The Dr. Ram and Nirmal Singhal Scholarship will provide one annual scholarship, valued at $450. It will be awarded to a UNB Fredericton student who has completed the requirements for first year and is beginning the second year of an undergraduate degree program, or to a student who has completed the requirements for second year and is beginning the third year of an undergraduate degree program. Selection will be based on scholastic achievement and financial need. "The Singhal family represent the Canadian dream," said John McLaughlin, UNB president and vice-chancellor. "They created a life in Fredericton, but more importantly, they invested in the community and are helping it grow. We are proud that UNB played an important role in their success, and we welcome their investment in our students." Dr. Singhal moved to Canada from India in 1967 to pursue graduate studies in molecular physics. His family followed him to Canada one year later. The Singhal family has many UNB alumni. Dr. Singhal completed both his master’s and doctoral degrees in physics at UNB. Nirmal Singhal completed her bachelor’s degree in business administration. Their two children, Sanjay and Angela, are both electrical engineers. Sanjay received his engineering degree from UNB, as did Angela’s husband, Tom Whiteford. Dr. Singhal taught at UNB for a short time before starting his first company, Atlantic Staples, in 1972. The company made industrial staples for the building industry, as well as for the consumer market. He later became a real estate developer. Dr. Singhal’s first development was a single apartment building, Park Estates, in Southwood Park. A multi-building project on Woodstock Road followed, eventually becoming Five Estates, a 125-unit apartment complex. Now both retired, the Singhals are involved in the Fredericton Hospital Foundation, UNB, Meals on Wheals, Capital Y’s Mens Club, YMCA, United Way, and City Hall community projects. They also donated land and personal time to create a South Asian temple and community centre in Fredericton in 1998. Forging Our Futures is the most important development campaign in UNB’s more-than-200-year history. It will make strategic investments in students, faculty, facilities and programs. The campaign will strengthen UNB’s position as a national university that is fundamentally important to the economic, social and cultural well-being of the province, the region and the country. Officially launched in June, Forging Our Futures is the largest fundraising campaign in New Brunswick history. More information on the campaign can be found online at www.unbfutures.ca. - 30 -
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