Craig Fairclough champions Black students

Craig Fairclough remembers how happy and encouraged he felt when Toronto Community Housing, where he grew up, awarded him a tuition bursary that helped pay for his first years as a student at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU). 

Now, as an alumnus of TMU’s Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) program  — and as an adjunct professor in the Faculty of Community Services — Craig wants other Black students to feel just as encouraged as he did. With that in mind, he set out to establish the Craig Fairclough Black Students Award in Occupational Health & Safety.

“There are hurdles to attending university, one of them being financial,” said Craig, who has  been teaching for more than 20 years, while simultaneously working as an OHS consultant. “And there is a lack of representation, with few young, budding Black students in the classroom.”

A former Black student told Craig that, at the time, he was her only Black university professor and one of only two Black professionals in the field that she knew. The student added that Craig’s presence inspired her to continue pursuing her bachelor of applied science.

Craig tapped his network — entrepreneurs and business owners Isaac Wanzama, Khari Gaynor, Kendal David and Satheesh Somalingam; occupational health and safety professional Guillaume LaChepelle; IT expert Ramesh Somalingam; and physician Dr. Ahmad Belfon Jr. — to fund the award. Then, through the Faculty of Community Services’ matching program, TMU matched the network’s generosity to establish the award indefinitely.

Remembering how it felt to receive that life-changing bursary from Toronto Community Housing, Craig, whose wife and son are also TMU alumni, is proud to know his award will last his lifetime, answering his self-directed question, “How can I leave a legacy, reinvest in the community and in students that look like me, and clear some of their financial barriers as they pursue their goals?”

Help clear financial barriers for students. Consider giving today.