窪蹋勛圖厙

 

Helping 窪蹋勛圖厙succeed, one gift at a time

Celebrating university donors

- December 15, 2011

President's Circle honourees (L to R): Jim Spatz, Elizabeth and Don Mills, Leslie Jaeger, Karl Dilcher and Michael Gross. (Danny Abriel photo)
President's Circle honourees (L to R): Jim Spatz, Elizabeth and Don Mills, Leslie Jaeger, Karl Dilcher and Michael Gross. (Danny Abriel photo)

Karl Dilcher, chair of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, was taken by surprise when he was announced as a new member of the Presidents Circle 窪蹋勛圖厙donors whose cumulative lifetime giving to the university has surpassed $100,000.

Although Im a mathematician, I didnt expect this I had no idea it added up to that much! he said afterwards.

Dr. Dilcher was one of five new Presidents Circle members honoured Wednesday evening at a reception for donors to the university, held in the Sculpture Court of the 窪蹋勛圖厙Arts Centre. The event attracted more than 300 donorsfrom community members, to business leaders, to faculty and staffall of whom were feted with food, drink and words of thanks from 窪蹋勛圖厙leaders.

Every gift means a lot and at every level, said Fred Fountain, 窪蹋勛圖厙chancellor. The greater number of gifts we have, the greater the spirit of the university. One gift doesnt keep the university afloat thousands of gifts at every level of giving helps make the place special.

Gifts with a lasting legacy


Many donors spoke proudly of the projects their funds have supported. Dr. Dilcher, who has given to 窪蹋勛圖厙since the 1980s, designates his gifts to his departmental library.

Ive always felt like the library is particularly important, and Ive benefitted so much from it, he said. As a mathematician, we dont have labs our lab is the library

For fellow Presidents Circle honouree Don Mills, president and co-founder of Corporate Research Associates, the ideal way for he and his wife to create an enduring legacy was to support a scholarship fund in the Faculty of Management.

I have a very unique relationship with 窪蹋勛圖厙 I first did my MBA, then I was on the faculty for a decade, and then I was a board member. So Ive seen 窪蹋勛圖厙as a student, a faculty member and a governor... Its really a great university.


Heritage Circle honourees (L to R): Jock Murray, Andrew MacKay, Leigh Beauchamp Day, Robert (Bob) Foster, Tietje Zonneveld. (Danny Abriel photo)

Five other donors were honoured as new members of the Heritage Group individuals recognized for including 窪蹋勛圖厙in their estate plans.

Leigh Beauchamp Day, a retired administrator in the Faculty of Engineering, was among them. Shes raising funds for a scholarship fund in honour of May Best Sexton, the first wife of Frederick Sexton the founder of what would become Dalhousies Faculty of Engineering.

She was an MIT grad in chemistry, and worked with her husband to start a technical institute for women but was shot down, explained Ms. Day, who has pledged $15,000 in her will to the scholarship. I was inspired by her story when I discovered it, and wanted to do what I could to support opportunities for women in engineering.

In total, more than 500 individuals have notified Dals Planned Giving Office that they intend to include the university in their estate plans, representing future gifts of approximately $70 million.

Being bold


In their remarks, Chancellor Fountain and President Tom Traves highlighted some of the work that donations to Dalhousies currently at almost 80 per cent of its goalare already inspiring on campus. They mentioned the transformation that will come from major gifts like Ken Rowes $15 million to the School of Business, and the $8 million from Wallace and Margaret McCain to support the new learning commons in the Life Sciences Centre.

One area of particular emphasis was scholarships and bursaries. Dr. Traves noted that one out of every five incoming students to Dal this year had an entering grade average of 95 per cent or higher a tremendous group of talented young men and women, but one that is putting pressure on Dals scholarship budget, which was never designed to cope with that many stellar students.

Thats where Bold Ambitions makes a difference: the university has raised $52 million thus far in endowed scholarships and bursaries, double the original target. This will mean approximately $2.5 million more each year to attract and support stellar students.

For thatand for everything else at 窪蹋勛圖厙made possible by the generosity of donorsDr. Traves expressed the universitys gratitude.

Thank you to every one of you for your continued interest in, commitment to, support of 窪蹋勛圖厙 our programs, our research activities, our efforts to help build a stronger Nova Scotia and a stronger Atlantic Canada and, ultimately, to our students.

We depend on you, and I have to say, you come through for us regularly and in a fabulous way.