Family invests in future
The same set of principles that drew her to Royal Roads as a student is still in place today.
More than 10 years after Samantha Legge graduated from Royal Roads University, she still sees value in her degree. In recognition of that, the Peter Legge Family Bursary was set up to help other students share that experience.
“I had a wonderful experience at the university, both from an academic point of view and from a personal point of view,” Samantha says. “I have lifelong friendships as a result of the MBA program.”
Royal Roads continues to be innovative in its blended approach to on-campus and online learning, and the Legge family has seen the value of the education impact the family business. She was able to implement ideas from her MBA thesis immediately in her work at Canada Wide Media, the largest independently owned magazine publishing company in Western Canada. She is now the vice-president of marketing and digital media, and her education, and the connections that came with it, continue to impact the company positively.
“The request (from the schools) was her thesis had to be on an issue in her company that needs to be resolved. Samantha did it on one of our magazines. Almost without exception we applied 95 per cent of her findings,” says Peter, her father and founder of Canada Wide Media. “If that is true of every student and their employer can read those theses, then they will benefit from the education Royal Roads gives.”
To support those opportunities, the Peter Legge Family Bursary is awarded annually to one or more students in the School of Business or School of Communication and Culture based on financial need.
“(We believe) in the importance of education and the importance of continuing education and that is critical for today’s world for people to be successful,” Samantha says. “The bursary provides an opportunity for the people who may not otherwise (have that foundation to be successful).”
The same set of principles that drew her to Royal Roads as a student is still in place today, Samantha says. “That innovation continues. Royal Roads is progressive in how they deliver its courses. There is uniqueness to how Royal Roads delivers its various programs.”