November 5, 2001 For Immediate Release

Two representatives from the University of Northern British Columbia will be meeting in communities throughout northwestern BC concerning the University's fundraising priorities and the development of the Northern Medical Program.

Director of Development Tom Berekoff will be joined on the tour by Tom Steadman, a UNBC Founder who is the volunteer Chairman of UNBC's annual fundraising campaign. The current public fundraising campaign has four main priorities:

· Athletics
· Scholarships and Bursaries
· The Library
· Northern Medical Program

The Northern Medical Program is a collaboration between UNBC and UBC designed to train medical doctors in the North for practice in rural areas. The proposed program would include the opportunity for medical students to learn with practicing doctors in communities all over northern BC. A program proposal has been submitted to the BC Government. It's expected the NMP could accept its first students by 2004, pending Government approval and funding.

The tour schedule follows:
Burns Lake - November 6
Meeting with the Rotary at noon, followed by a 2pm presentation to the Council and Health Advisory Committee in the Village Office.

Houston - November 6 and 7
After visiting the local college campus, Mr Steadman and Mr Berekoff will be making a presentation at the Town Council Meeting at 7:30pm. On Wednesday, they will be attending a noon Chamber of Commerce luncheon at the Pleasant Valley Restaurant.

Smithers - November 7
Presentation to the Health Council at 4:30pm in Smithers Hospital, at 6pm by a Smithers Rotary Club dinner at the Aspen Motor Inn.

Kitimat - November 8
Meetings have been arranged at 9:30am with the Kitimat Hospital Administrator, with the Mayor and Council at 11am, and the Kitimat Chamber of Commerce at 1pm.

Terrace - November 8
Three meetings have been arranged: at 8:30am with the Chamber of Commerce, an 11:30am visit to NWCC, and a 3:30pm presentation to Terrace City Council.

Prince Rupert - November 8
Representatives from the Health Council, Chamber of Commerce, and City Council will be meeting with Tom Berekoff at 2:30pm in the Hospital boardroom.

The University's fundraising program is designed to increase the funding available to programs or operations that often don't receive operating funding from the Provincial Government grant. A number of communities in the North have already established scholarships or bursaries for students from those communities. While the University continues to build the endowment for all student awards, a new priority entails providing financial assistance for future medical students.