Tom Glenwright knows the value of a post-secondary education. As the former Executive Director of Manitoba Student Aid, he oversaw the distribution of funds to students throughout the province who needed a little extra cash for university or college. Career Trek gets assistance from this branch of government, but also from Tom himself, who for several years has reached into his own pocket to aid Trekkers as they embark on their journey of professional and personal discovery.


“Career Trek tries to get at poverty through career education and show people who wouldn’t consider themselves post-secondary material that they really are. I think that’s very important,” Tom says. Statistics show there are more young people enrolling in post-secondary institutions than ever before, he adds, but there continues to be a disproportionately smaller number of students who come from low-income families. The father of three believes everyone should have access to education, which is key to escaping poverty.

He believes Manitoba Student Aid is the only such agency across the country that supports an early intervention program like Career Trek. “You have to reach them early,” he says, noting Career Trek provides “a way to get kids involved in thinking about the rest of their lives.”

The government department has funded Career Trek since its inception more than a decade ago. Tom’s decision to contribute on a personal level was an easy one. “You need to put your money where your mouth is,” he says. “I donate to Career Trek because I believe in the program.”