We are proud to announce that the Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa is the recipient of a major gift from alumnus James Yersh. The donation, contributed over the next 5 years, will go towards the establishment of the Yersh Family Pedagogical Innovation Fund.

This announcement was made at the Telfer Alumni Breakfast Speaker Series on November 25, 2015.

"We are profoundly thankful to Mr. Yersh for his generous gift," stated François Julien, Dean of the Telfer School. "This investment will allow us to align ourselves with the ever changing learning modes of students, and to transform how we learn– one of the 5 priorities we have set for our fundraising campaign".

The new fund will support improvements to program structures, content and delivery. These improvements could include researching, creating and implementing alternate, flexible and adaptable content and delivery methods, as well as creating integrative cases that would be used across more than one course.

Focussing on pedagogical innovation will help transform learning inside and outside the classroom, with an eye to increasing the career potential of graduates.

The other priorities of the Telfer School’s fundraising campaign are: Investing in globalisation, Generating new knowledge, Fostering experiential learning, and Supporting scholarships and strategic initiatives.

James Yersh is Chief Financial Officer at Blackberry, in Waterloo, Ontario, where he is responsible for all aspects of the company's financial operations and investor relations. James previously served as the Senior Vice President, Controller of BlackBerry and has more than 15 years of experience in the technology and telecommunications industries. Prior to joining BlackBerry in 2008, he held various senior positions at Cognos Incorporated and Deloitte.

James Yersh is one of many alumni who continue to stay connected with and give back to the Telfer School of Management to support the programs and projects that matter most to them. 

Photo Caption: James Yersh with some of the students who attended the Alumni Breakfast Speaker Series on November 25.