Following a record-breaking 61st Annual Business Day in May, the Faculty of Business Administration’s student organizing committee donated $6,221 in surplus back to the Business Day endowment.

Co-chair of the 2026 committee Russell Noseworthy says their cohort was fortunate to receive support from the Business Day endowment, but thanks to a successful event in terms of industry ticket sales and corporate sponsorships, the committee ended up with a surplus.

“In order to ensure the continued success of Business Day for future cohorts, we decided that donating the funds back to the endowment was the most impactful way to use them,” said Mr. Noseworthy. “This way, the faculty can ensure that the funds can help not only next year’s class, but the class after that and the class 10 years after that.”

Co-chair Aman Gangani says the donation is proof of the sponsors’ trust.

“Their support shows they understand the importance that this experience creates for students, industry professionals and the business community. Our team is grateful to help carry that impact forward for future teams.”

For the committee, the decision to give back was about more than closing the books on a successful Business Day.

“We sincerely believe that contributing back to the endowment helps support the long-term future of this annual tradition, which has now completed its 61st iteration,” the team noted. “It also gives future Business Day teams the opportunity to experiment, take thoughtful risks and keep the tradition alive while allowing it to evolve with changing times.”

The 2026 Business Day’s success can be attributed to the faculty’s support and a team effort, with professors opening their classrooms to help promote the event and committee members handling marketing and communications, finance, sponsorship and event co-ordination. Among the highlights was the speed networking hour, a new addition built around this year’s theme, The Power of Connection.

“Although co-ordinating the movement of over 100 students every 10 minutes was no small feat, the hour went even better than we could have hoped,” said Mr. Noseworthy. “Our aim is for this networking hour to be a core piece of future Business Days, solidifying the value proposition for corporate sponsors, alumni and industry mentors.”

A tradition nearly two decades strong

The 2007 Business Day committee established the endowment fund.

Josh Quinton, co-chair and president of the Class of 2007, says strong ticket sales, careful cost management and a tremendous volunteer effort, resulted in excess capital at the end of the year.

“Rather than simply closing out the event or treating the volunteers, we felt it was important to use those funds to help future classes get a head-start on the costs of running Business Day,” Mr. Quinton said. “Since the event has been an important tradition since 1965, we saw establishing an endowment to support its long-term success and help future organizers continue building on that legacy [as important].”

Nearly two decades later, Mr. Quinton says it means ”a great deal” to see the 2026 committee contributing to the fund.

“To me, it reflects the strength of the tradition and the shared commitment to making the event better for each new class. It is encouraging to see continued support for creating opportunities that connect Memorial students and alumni with business leaders and strengthen the overall impact of Business Day.”

What the endowment makes possible

The faculty sees the gift as a sign of just how far Business Day has grown, no longer tied to any one organizing committee but carried forward, year after year, by each new class of students.

It’s also seen as a sound financial decision: rather than treating the surplus as a one-time windfall, the committee chose to put it back to work for the long term.

In practice, the endowment helps cover upfront costs like venue deposits and speaker fees before sponsorship and ticket revenue starts coming in.

It’s a reminder, too, of the partnership behind the event: staff support Business Day through mentorship and promotion, while students drive its direction.

Dean Travor Brown echoes that view.

He says the donation to the Business Day Endowment is the best of what the faculty hopes to foster in its students: leadership, initiative and a commitment to giving back.

“The significance of this gift is that it comes from students who have made the choice to invest in the success of those who will follow them,” said Dr. Brown. “Contributions such as this keep alive the experiential learning opportunities that are the hallmarks of Business Day to allow future students to continue to develop the skills, confidence and connections that will serve them throughout their careers.”

Ashley Wright is a communications advisor in the Faculty of Business Administration. She can be reached at ashley.wright@mun.ca.