Philanthropy

The ��Ƶ lowered flags to half-mast at Simcoe Hall Tuesday to honour Loretta Rogers, a leading philanthropist and longtime director at telecom giant Rogers Communications Inc.

Rogers – who died on June 11 at age 83, and who was remembered at a funeral service this morning – was a driving force behind a $130-million gift from the Rogers family to establish the Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research, named after her late husband and founder of Rogers Communications. The donation to the Hospital for Sick Children, University Health Network and U of T was one of the largest private donations in Canadian health-care history.

“In the course of U of T’s history, few have forged change like Loretta Rogers,” said U of T President Meric Gertler in a tribute published on U of T’s Defy Gravity website. “Her impact on research, academic programs and student financial support has transformed lives, created hope, and moved society forward. She was one of a kind. I offer the University’s sincerest condolences to Lisa, Ed, Melinda, Martha, and all the Rogers family.”

Trevor Young, dean of the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, called the gift “transformational,” noting that it “catalyzed a tremendous surge of discovery – uncovering key genetic causes of heart failure, inventing new ways to repair injured hearts, and improving patient outcomes in multiple areas.”

The Rogers family has also supported U of T's Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering and Trinity College. In 2000, Loretta and Ted donated $25 million to U of T Engineering, which led to the endowment of two research chairs, the Edward S. Rogers Sr. Chair in Engineering and the Velma M. Rogers Graham Chair in Engineering. The funding also supported graduate and undergraduate scholarships that have benefited 2,400 students to date.

In recognition of the gift, the faculty named its department of electrical and computer engineering after Edward S. Rogers Sr., Ted's father, who was a student in the department from 1919 to 1921. The Rogers family made the gift on what would have been Ted's father's 100th birthday.

Trinity College named its library in honour of Ted's stepfather, John W. Graham.

“With Loretta’s passing, the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering has not only lost a generous champion but also a cherished friend,” said Dean Christopher Yip. “She and Ted were deeply connected to U of T Engineering, and were tremendously important in helping us become Canada’s top-ranked engineering school and one of the best in the world. They always inspired us to reach higher.”

Eaton family's $1 million gift marks a century of support for U of T's Faculty of Medicine

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 21 Jan 2019 17:05:36 +0000

Eaton family's $1 million gift marks a century of support for U of T's Faculty of Medicine

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 01/21/2019 - 12:05

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Professor Gillian Hawker, who holds the Sir John and Lady Eaton Professor and Chair of Medicine, and John Craig Eaton II, who donated $1 million to U of T's department of medicine (photo by Kenneth Chou)

Topic

Research & Innovation

The ��Ƶ’s department of medicine recently received a $1 million gift from John Craig Eaton II in support of the Eliot Phillipson Clinician-Scientist Training Program – equipping new generations of physicians to advance our understanding of disease through research.

The commitment comes as the Faculty of Medicine, which oversees the department of medicine and several other departments, celebrates the 100th anniversary of the original gift – from Eaton’s grandparents – that supported the Sir John and Lady Eaton Professor and Chair of Medicine, and marked U of T’s first endowed chair and the British Empire’s first chair in medicine.

“Over the past century, the Eaton chair has played a significant role in placing the faculty and department at the forefront of life-changing health research and innovation,” says Professor Gillian Hawker, who currently holds the chair.

Prior to the chair’s creation, busy clinicians would carve out time from their paid clinical work to serve as educators or pursue research – areas that offered little or no compensation.

“There was no system or structure to support physicians who wanted to teach and do research,” Hawker says.

“Physicians wanting to play an extra role in teaching or research were doing it in their spare time, after hours. The concept of ‘academic physician’ did not exist.”

Things began to change when the Carnegie Foundation commissioned a seminal study of the state of medical education in the United States and Canada in 1908. The resulting Flexner Report helped establish the biomedical model that we now recognize as the gold standard for medical training.

Dr. William Goldie, a member of the U of T’s department of medicine and a highly respected clinician at Toronto General Hospital, was a big proponent of the report. He persuaded U of T and the hospital to hire a full-time professor of medicine – a physician who would see patients, conduct research and teach students. He also reached out to the Eatons, who donated $500,000 to endow the professorship permanently. The amount is equivalent to $6.7 million today.

“The Eaton endowment was ground-breaking,” says Hawker. “Not only did it give the chair-holder the freedom to teach and conduct research, it enabled major recruitment of leading academic physicians and expansion of laboratory research.”

The Eaton investment helped transform U of T’s department of medicine into a training ground for clinician-scientists – a shift that profoundly influenced medical education and discovery throughout Canada. It paved the way for academic physicians, post-graduate medical training, full-time clinician-scientists, affiliated teaching hospitals and clinical research units, including the clinical investigation unit where insulin was first injected into a patient.

“Dr. Goldie’s vision for medical research and education and the creation of the Eaton professor and chair are a big part of our roots,” says Hawker. “I think that’s why internal medicine has been so successful from a research and teaching perspective.”

Today, U of T’s department of medicine is one of the largest in North America, training one-third of Canada’s – and one-half of Ontario’s – internal medicine specialists. With 800 full-time faculty members, 1,000 post-graduate trainees, and 20 specialty and sub-specialty divisions, it is the research and educational hub connecting six fully affiliated hospitals, four community-affiliated hospitals and more than a dozen additional clinical practice sites.

The department is also a research powerhouse, generating more than $160 million in research funding annually.

Remembering Alfred Bader (1924-2018)

noreen.rasbach — Mon, 14 Jan 2019 17:35:59 +0000

Remembering Alfred Bader (1924-2018) noreen.rasbach Mon, 01/14/2019 - 12:35

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“Alfred Bader will always be remembered as a generous friend of the ��Ƶ and an outstanding champion of education,” says U of T President Meric Gertler about Alfred Bader

Topic

Alfred Bader, CBE, a self-made chemical entrepreneur and an expert on baroque art, died on Dec. 23 at age 94. Together with his wife, alumna Isabel Bader, he was a philanthropist who supported important arts and education initiatives in his home community and around the world. At the ��Ƶ, his gifts opened research opportunities to students and contributed to a thriving theatre space at Victoria University.

“Alfred Bader will always be remembered as a generous friend of the ��Ƶ and an outstanding champion of education,” says U of T President Meric Gertler. “The support that he and his wife Isabel gave to Victoria University has provided undergraduate students with significant financial support as well as more opportunities to learn from world-leading scholars, and to undertake important research in arts and culture. It has also helped to build a vibrant theatre and film community centred at Victoria which radiates throughout the city and indeed around the world.

“On behalf of the ��Ƶ community, I extend heartfelt condolences to Dr. Isabel Bader and to the entire Bader family on the loss of a beloved and extraordinary husband, father and grandfather.”

In 1998, after establishing numerous scholarships and bursaries at Victoria University in the ��Ƶ, Alfred and Isabel gave $6 million for the construction of the 500-seat Isabel Bader Theatre. A lecture hall, a workshop space, and a venue for concerts, plays and conferences, the theatre has become a locus for the thriving Vic arts community, while serving the wider Toronto community as a staple film festival venue.

Bader Philanthropies Inc., founded by Alfred Bader, recently gave a significant gift of $1 million to Victoria University to support its Scholars-in-Residence program, which provides research opportunities for undergraduate students of the humanities.

“Through supporting the arts and research in the humanities,” says William Robins, president of Victoria University, “Alfred and Isabel Bader have, over many years, championed a vision of liberal education. By supporting students with scholarships and bursaries and providing research opportunities to deepen our students’ ability to understand, appreciate and imagine a healthy human society now and in the future, they have had a significant impact on the Victoria community. We are truly grateful for their tremendous generosity.”

In recognition of their leadership, the university inducted both Alfred and Isabel into the Chancellors’ Circle of Benefactors in 2018. In addition to their years of involvement and philanthropy with U of T, the Baders have generously supported Queen’s University and myriad other causes in Canada, the United States and Israel.

Alfred Bader’s extraordinary life began in Austria in 1924, where his Catholic mother defied her family to marry his Jewish father. In 1938, at 14, he was evacuated to England along with 10,000 other Jewish children, only to be interned in Quebec as a German national once he reached age 16. There, he studied diligently and after his release, earned two degrees in chemistry and one in history at Queen’s University.

Drawing on his difficulties obtaining research chemicals as a graduate student, Bader co-founded Aldrich Chemical Company in 1951. The chemical supply firm was financially successful, and after its merger with Sigma Chemical Company in the 1970s, became one of the world’s top suppliers of chemicals.

Bader married Isabel Overton Bader in 1982. Isabel published their star-crossed love story in A Canadian in Love. She shares his passion for art and art collecting, an interest that, as he recounted in his 1995 autobiography, Adventures of a Chemist Collector, dated back to his childhood. Bader became an expert in baroque art, particularly the work of Rembrandt and his followers, and through the Alfred Bader Fine Arts dealership found paintings for prominent galleries such as the Getty Museum and Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum.

Bader was predeceased by his first wife, Helen Daniels Bader. He leaves his second wife, Isabel Overton Bader, sons David and Daniel, and seven grandchildren.

“Dr. Bader was not only passionate about the value of education and art but was generous in sharing that passion,” says David Palmer, U of T’s vice-president advancement. “While we mourn his loss, we are comforted by his legacy, which overcame adversity to uplift others and create a positive impact – much the same as his beloved artworks do.”

Scarborough business owner donates $2 million to U of T for Tamil studies

ullahnor — Fri, 13 Jan 2017 22:47:00 +0000

Scarborough business owner donates $2 million to U of T for Tamil studies

ullahnor Fri, 01/13/2017 - 17:47

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Sinhala and Tamil New Year in Sri Lanka (photo by Amila Tennakoon via Flickr)

Berton Woodward

Author legacy

Berton Woodward

Topic

One of U of T’s earliest Tamil alumni has given a historic donation of $2 million to support Tamil studies program.

The gift from Ravi Gukathasan, who is CEO of Digital Specialty Chemicals Ltd. in Scarborough, is the largest single cash gift from an alumnus in U of T Scarborough's history. It will fund an annual post-doctoral fellowship in Tamil studies as well as scholarships, event programming and digital archiving.

“I want UTSC to be a star when it comes to the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora, its culture, its language, its perspective in the world,” says Gukathasan. “We have the biggest Tamil diaspora in the world in Scarborough. They need to be proud.”

Read CBC story on donation

UTSC alumnus Ravi Gukathasan's gift to the university will fund an annual post-doctoral fellowship in Tamil studies as well as scholarships, event programming and digital archiving (photo by Ken Jones)

He also sees his gift as a leadership example for other members of the Tamil community to follow.

“I applaud Dr. Gukathasan’s initiative and passionate support of UTSC and am confident that his generous example will stimulate other alumni, not just alumni from the Tamil community, to step forward with game-changing donations,” says U of T Scarborough Principal Bruce Kidd.

The 10-year commitment will fund the $1.25 million Ethan and Leah Schweitzer Gukathasan Fellowship, named for Gukathasan’s two teenage children as well as provide $500,000 for a programming fund, $150,000 for a digital fund and $100,000 for scholarships.

“The gift will add hugely to our ability to expose our campus to what’s going on in Tamil worlds,” says Bhavani Raman, associate professor in the department of historical and cultural studies and chair of the tri-campus Tamil Worlds Initiative programming committee. “We will be able to support young and upcoming scholars from all over the world with the postdoctoral fellowship as well as other visitors.”

She notes that a previous substantial gift from Gukathasan has already allowed U of T Scarborough to sponsor a Tamil studies conference, hold regular public programming on Tamil subjects and work with the U of T Scarborough Library to enhance its Tamil-language collection. She expects to be able to greatly expand such initiatives including the digitization of Sri Lankan Tamil works for global access.

“Beyond U of T, the gift will be a big resource for Tamil studies because there are very few post-doctoral fellowships dedicated to this field,” she says. “My guess is we’ll get many applicants from outside Canada.”

Gukathasan grew up outside Jaffna in Sri Lanka’s Tamil north, then left with the family for the U.K. in 1974. They later re-emigrated to Canada, settling in northern Scarborough, and in 1978, Gukathasan entered what was then Scarborough College, founded just 13 years earlier.

“I was one of only two Tamils in the whole school,” he says.

After gaining his PhD in chemistry at U of T, Gukathasan founded Digital Specialty Chemicals, a highly successful enterprise located on Coronation Drive in southeastern Scarborough, where he has also created a small park and decorated the lobby with Indigenous art.

He’s very proud of his two children with fellow chemist and alumna Caroline Schweitzer whose names are on the gift. Ethan, 18, recently entered chemical engineering at U of T, while Leah, 17 and in Grade 12, wants to study at U of T in evolutionary anthropology.

Gukathasan sees his gift as just the start. “I’m hoping others will follow suit with more money,” he says. “I hope we can keep building this program and make it very, very well-funded and well-rounded.”

Couldn’t have done it without you: the U of T community gives back

Romi Levine — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 21:22:34 +0000

Couldn’t have done it without you: the U of T community gives back

Romi Levine Tue, 12/13/2016 - 16:22

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President Meric Gertler is the United Way's 2016 campaign cabinet chair for the education sector (photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

Romi Levine

Author legacy

Romi Levine

Topic

Faculty of Arts & Science

��Ƶ Scarborough

Philanthropy

One ��Ƶ professor’s generosity and passion for Ethiopian heritage and culture turned a Grammy Award-winning pop star into a philanthropist.

Michael Gervers (pictured below) teaches history in the Faculty of Arts & Science and ��Ƶ Scarborough. He donated $50,000 to U of T in order to launch Ethiopian studies and urged the Ethiopian community to support the cause – and they listened.

This prompted a slew of donations – including $50,000 from the Starboy himself, Toronto native Abel Tesfaye, a.k.a. The Weeknd, whose parents immigrated to Canada from Ethiopia.

Gervers' act of giving is a prime example of the many ways the U of T community gives back.

(Michael Gervers, seen here in Ethiopia, is one of many U of T faculty members who exemplify the university's culture of giving back)

Some, like Dimitri Anastakis, a Faculty of Medicine professor, dedicated countless hours to fundraising. Others, like Don Jackson, chair of the department of ecology and evolutionary biology and Keren Rice, chair of Linguistics, both in the Faculty of Arts & Science, continually give back to U of T through donations.

“I have always been of the mindset to ask what more can I do for the university to raise awareness about our incredible work,” said Anastakis.

A new exhibition at the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library celebrating the life and work of Thomas Hardy couldn’t have been possible without University Professor Emeritus Michael Millgate of the Faculty of Arts & Science.

Millgate, who studied Hardy for nearly 50 years, donated his extensive collection to the university – a gift that includes annotated books, original manuscripts, letters, photographs and first editions.

Read about the exhibition

In the past five years, 94,736 people have donated over $2 billion to the university through U of T’s Boundless campaign.

Giving back to the wider Toronto community is important virtue of the university. As United Way’s 2016 campaign cabinet chair for the education sector, U of T President Meric Gertler joins Canadian leaders in helping to raise $101.5 million for the charitable organization.

“Despite the economic success of Toronto, we know that too many residents of this region are struggling to overcome poverty, illness, unemployment or other disadvantages,” he said.

U of T’s United Way campaign has donated almost $500,000 as of the beginning of December.

You can still donate up to December 31

Faculty, staff and alumni also donate their time to U of T as volunteers, spending years and sometimes even decades, supporting university initiatives such as coaching sports teams, chairing committees and mentoring students. Every year, they are honoured at the Arbor Awards ceremony.

(Since 1989 the Arbor Awards have been recognizing members of the U of T community who volunteer their time and energy.)

There are many reasons why people give, but a big motivator is gratitude, says Cindy Chan, assistant professor of marketing at ��Ƶ Scarborough and Rotman School of Management.

“When we feel grateful we're often motivated to do something – to be helpful to another person,” said Chan.

The more you know about a cause, the more likely you are to give, she said.

“If you know there's a group of students who would really benefit from funding in order to study at U of T, for example, or someone who requires some funding in order to do their research, you may be motivated to give because there's a really specific cause,” said Chan.

And that positive and helpful – or prosocial – behaviour – can rub off on others.

“Gratitude can be a powerful emotion in that way in having these effects that spiral upward or pay it forward. Expressing gratitude and being the recipient of these expressions, all of these things can lead to these really positive outcomes,” Chan said.

U of T’s Boundless campaign surpasses historic $2-billion mark and expands goal to $2.4 billion

ullahnor — Fri, 09 Dec 2016 16:30:38 +0000

U of T’s Boundless campaign surpasses historic $2-billion mark and expands goal to $2.4 billion

ullahnor Fri, 12/09/2016 - 11:30

Topic

Research & Innovation

International Students

Subheadline

Thanks to the unprecedented generosity of 94,736 alumni and friends, the Boundless campaign has set a new record for philanthropy in Canada and helped U of T reach new levels of excellence, innovation and impact. By expanding its goal to $2.4 billion, the campaign will support compelling new initiatives inspired by the University’s Three Priorities

Groundbreaking treatments for heart disease, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, new initiatives for Indigenous health and education, new centres and incubators for innovation and entrepreneurship, novel approaches to the design and infrastructure of cities, deeper insights into ancient cultures and modern societies and thousands of scholarships for students – these are just some of hundreds of causes that U of T alumni and friends have contributed to during the Boundless campaign.

Thanks to this commitment and enthusiasm, the Boundless campaign has raised a remarkable $2,058,559,590 to date, surpassing its original $2-billion goal six months ahead of schedule. Thousands of alumni and friends from around the world contributed to this milestone, which is unprecedented in Canadian philanthropic history and places U of T among just 31 universities worldwide that have raised $2 billion or more in a fundraising campaign.

Building on this impressive success and momentum, the University announced that it is expanding the Boundless campaign goal to $2.4 billion, with the unanimous support of U of T’s Principals and Deans Advisory Group and volunteer campaign leadership. The campaign expansion will advance the University’s Three Priorities and fund emerging initiatives across each of our campuses.

Speaking at an event on Dec. 8, U of T President Meric Gertler thanked donors for their vision, commitment and generosity.

“Great universities are built by great people,” President Gertler said. “The excellence of our faculty and students, and the extraordinary passion and dedication of our supporters is fuelling our imagination, driving our discoveries and laying the groundwork for the future success of the University. With our expanded campaign goal, we have an opportunity to raise U of T to even greater heights of research excellence and accessible education.”

Campaign Impact

The Boundless campaign launched publicly in November 2011 with a goal of preparing students for a borderless world and elevating U of T’s capacity to address critical local and global challenges. To realize this ambition, Boundless set out to raise $2 billion for the University’s highest priorities as part of the largest fundraising campaign in Canadian university history.

The response has been overwhelmingly positive. Over the past five years, U of T has received $316 million for student scholarships and programs, $203 million for faculty support, more than $660 million for groundbreaking research centres, initiatives and programs, $523 million for critical infrastructure projects and more than $356 million in philanthropic research grants.

A Tide of Support

The remarkable outpouring of generosity toward the Boundless campaign includes contributions from a record 94,736 alumni and friends, just under half of whom are first-time donors – a vivid illustration of U of T’s relevance to new generations of donors.

The campaign has also been defined by a number of transformational gifts from leading philanthropists to fields as diverse as architecture and urban design, astronomy and astrophysics, global affairs, high performance sport, Indigenous health and education, innovation and entrepreneurship, humanities, law, medical psychiatry, public health, social work, regenerative medicine and more. From amplifying Canada’s voice on international issues to imagining the future design of cities to addressing heart disease across the lifespan, these visionary benefactions are placing U of T at the heart of some of the most consequential issues of our time.

In addition to record philanthropic support, the University has witnessed a surge in alumni participation, pride and affinity at home and around the globe during the Boundless campaign. In the past year alone, 89,115 alumni participated in U of T programs worldwide, and more than 10,000 alumni served the University as volunteers and mentors.

“Boundless has captured the diversity, openness and optimism of our community and our aspirations to effect meaningful change in the world,” says David Palmer, Vice-President, Advancement at U of T. “As a result, we’ve seen unparalleled levels of giving and engagement, which are creating countless opportunities for students, transforming our colleges, faculties and campuses and driving vital research, teaching and innovation to address issues of paramount concern to our faculty, alumni and donors.”

A New Horizon of Excellence and Impact

The success of the Boundless campaign has elevated U of T’s standing among the world’s best universities and lifted the University’s sights to a new horizon of excellence and impact.

The campaign’s expanded goal of $2.4 billion will allow U of T to build on this momentum and fund critically important initiatives inspired by the University’s Three Priorities of leveraging our urban location more fully, strengthening key international partnerships and reimagining undergraduate education. The expansion will advance the most compelling ideas and innovations emerging across our three campuses and engage every division of the University.

New programs in city leadership, urban design and civic engagement will place U of T at the heart of debates about how to build more prosperous and sustainable cities of the future. Support for major collaborative research and exchange programs with leading institutions around the world will strengthen the University’s global outlook and its impact on critical issues from cybersecurity to clean energy to neurodegenerative diseases. New scholarships, mentoring programs and experiential learning opportunities will help U of T deliver a rigorous and relevant undergraduate experience that prepares students for success in an ever-changing world.

The expansion will also fuel pioneering research in the humanities, sciences and social sciences that illuminates our world and lays the foundation for social progress. And it will strengthen U of T’s growing entrepreneurial ecosystem by helping more researchers and students bring their best ideas to market and spark breakthroughs in fields such as regenerative medicine, genomics, artificial intelligence, machine learning and computational medicine to improve health and prosperity.

“Over the past five years, the extraordinary generosity of our alumni and friends has transformed lives and created healthier and more vibrant communities in Canada and globally,” says Michael Wilson, Chancellor of U of T. “As the campaign expands to $2.4 billion, we have an opportunity to build on this foundation and imagine an even brighter future for our city, our country and our world.”

For more information please visit the Boundless campaign website.

U of T’s Boundless campaign surpasses historic $2-billion mark and expands goal to $2.4 billion

ullahnor — Fri, 09 Dec 2016 01:00:32 +0000

U of T’s Boundless campaign surpasses historic $2-billion mark and expands goal to $2.4 billion

ullahnor Thu, 12/08/2016 - 20:00

Topic

Subheadline

Speaking at an event on Dec. 8, U of T President Meric Gertler thanked donors for their vision, commitment and generosity.

Campaign Impact

A Tide of Support

A New Horizon of Excellence and Impact

The success of the Boundless campaign has elevated U of T’s standing among the world’s best universities and lifted the University’s sights to a new horizon of excellence and impact.

For more information please visit the Boundless campaign website.

Remembering Margaret and John Bahen: “Among our most distinguished alumni”

ullahnor — Tue, 06 Dec 2016 20:14:50 +0000

Remembering Margaret and John Bahen: “Among our most distinguished alumni”

ullahnor Tue, 12/06/2016 - 15:14

Topic

Our Community

Faculty of Medicine

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Subheadline

Their philanthropy is seeding breakthroughs in medicine, engineering, math and computer science

The ��Ƶ has lost two remarkable alumni and supporters. Margaret and John Bahen died in November, within days of one another.

The couple, who met at U of T and raised three children together, leave behind many friends and family members, as well as a strong legacy at their alma mater.

The Bahens gave generously to the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering. Their commitment to advancing medical research and scholarship and their lasting contributions to the campus through their support of the Bahen Centre for Information Technology leave an indelible mark.

“The University is proud to count John and Margaret among our most distinguished alumni and champions,” said President Meric Gertler. “We greatly appreciate their dedication to advancing excellence in research and scholarship across disciplines and their visionary understanding of how shared space in state-of-the-art facilities fosters innovation and collaboration.”

John and Margaret’s legacy of philanthropy to U of T Engineering is embodied in the Bahen Centre for Information Technology. Completed in 2002, the building houses advanced research and teaching facilities, which support faculty, staff and students in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, the department of computer science and the department of mathematics.

“It is impossible to overstate the impact of John and Margaret’s generosity,” said Cristina Amon, dean of the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering. “Their support of engineering research and the visionary design of the Bahen Centre as a focal point for collaborative information-technology research will be felt by U of T and Canadians for generations to come.”

A 1954 graduate of the department of civil engineering, John began his career at McNamara Construction, specializing in large-scale projects such as hydroelectric dams and major highways. In 1980, he was appointed president of Peter Kiewit Sons’ Co. Ltd., where he directed landmark projects such as the SkyTrain light rail system in Vancouver. Upon his retirement in 1994, he and classmate Joey Tanenbaum co-established the Bahen/Tanenbaum Chairs in Civil Engineering, which focus on applications of structural engineering.

Professor Michael Collins held one of the endowed chairs for 19 years.

“While engineering professors should conduct research, teach and provide service to the community and the profession, it is my belief that teaching students the basic principles of the art of engineering is the central role,” Collins said. “The Bahen/Tanenbaum funds have been a significant factor in enabling me to greatly increase the number of students I teach while still maintaining very high standards.”

At the Faculty of Medicine, the Bahens’ support is making a major impact on health care.

“John and Margaret Bahen have left a great legacy in medical research and scholarship,” said Trevor Young, dean of the Faculty of Medicine. “Their support continues to be felt through promising work in epilepsy and occupational therapy.”

In memory of their late son Michael, Margaret and John created the Michael Bahen Chair in Epilepsy Research. Chair-holder Dr. Berge Minassian has discovered genetic mutations underlying several types of epilepsies, including the severest type – Lafora disease. These discoveries have led to the identification of a potential drug to counter the disease, which will soon be undergoing clinical trials.

The Bahens also contributed generously to the Epilepsy Research Fund within the Clinician Scientist Training Program in the department of paediatrics.

“The Bahens have brought us to the threshold of overcoming severe epilepsy,” Minassian said. “I am extremely grateful for their support, which has been crucial to this research and continues to push this area of medicine forward.”

Following her graduation with a diploma in occupational therapy in 1952, Margaret worked at Sunnybrook Hospital’s Veterans K Wing. She created the Pamela Cowie Gray Generosity of Spirit Award in the department of occupational science and occupational therapy to honour her lifelong friend from the program. She also remained connected to the department and to U of T’s rehabilitation sector.

“We are tremendously grateful for Margaret Bahen’s support,” said department chair Susan Rappolt. “As an alumna of the program, she understood the value of hope and engagement as a resource for health, and was dedicated to helping future students pursue research and professional development.”

In 2001, then-U of T president Robert Prichard and his wife, Ann Wilson, established the endowed Margaret Bahen Gold Medal in Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, a convocation award given annually to a student excelling in academic courses, clinical fieldwork and overall leadership.

“John and Margaret were strong champions of our faculties of Medicine and Engineering, demonstrating their belief in the ability of academic research and higher education to transform people’s lives and build better societies,” said David Palmer, vice-president advancement of U of T. “The Bahens were standard-bearers of philanthropy in this country and will be remembered for their thoughtful and generous vision.”

Remembering Russell J. Morrison (1923 – 2016)

lanthierj — Fri, 07 Oct 2016 17:46:22 +0000

Remembering Russell J. Morrison (1923 – 2016)

lanthierj Fri, 10/07/2016 - 13:46

Topic

Subheadline

Russell Morrison (MA 1947, Hon. LLD 2004) was one of U of T’s most generous supporters. Through his giving, he strove to help students reach their full potential.

The ��Ƶ and its students have lost a loyal friend and a generous and visionary benefactor. Russell Morrison, C.M., was 92.

“No great university can function without great libraries and study spaces, and no benefactor has done more than Russell Morrison to raise the quality of those spaces for students at the ��Ƶ,” President Meric Gertler said.

“Through his gifts to U of T, Russell, together with his wife Katherine Morrison, transformed our library system to help create some of the most supportive educational environments in the country—places where generations of students will learn to think independently, engage in critical scholarship and realize the benefits of teamwork and self-reliance,” Gertler said.

“We are profoundly grateful for the legacy Russell has left us, which includes the Morrison Pavilion at the Gerstein Science Information Centre, Morrison Hall student residence at University College, and Robarts Common, which will soon be under construction.

“The grand scope of his philanthropy means that there is not a single student at the St. George campus whose experience will not have been elevated by his vision.”

Russell Morrison was born in Saskatoon. He obtained his BA from the University of Saskatchewan in 1944, his MA in economics from the ��Ƶ in 1947 and a third degree from the University of Chicago in 1950.

During the Second World War, Morrison was a member of the Royal Canadian Navy Reserve. After the war he lectured in economics at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.

Morrison went to work in the investment industry in 1953, and during his career was considered one of the best investors in Canada. He worked in brokerage research early in his career, progressing to managing hundreds of millions of dollars in mutual funds, and later gained significant experience in the Japanese equities market.

In 1978, he and Katherine (PhD 1979, Hon. LLD 2004) established the Morrison Foundation, which has supported the University and other educational service organizations, including Frontier College and Pathways to Education. In 2004 the University awarded him the degree of doctor of laws (honoris causa) in recognition of his contributions to education, and in 2014 he was appointed to the Order of Canada.

He and Katherine have been among the University’s most generous benefactors. In 2004 the Morrison Pavilion doubled the amount of student space at the Gerstein Science Information Centre, Canada’s largest academic science and medicine library. The pavilion transformed a historic building into a bright, welcoming space at the heart of the St. George campus. It attracts visitors from across North America, who view the building as a model for how to upgrade such a facility.

In 2005, thanks to a very generous gift from the Morrisons, University College was able to build its first new student residence in almost 50 years. Morrison Hall is now a central part of UC’s commitment to vibrant student life.

Donald Ainslie, principal of UC, says “Russell Morrison believed that academic community was essential for student living. Over 3,500 students have now benefited from his vision, by enjoying top-of-the-line residence rooms grouped around common interests such as health and wellness or global perspectives.” He adds that, “since it opened, Morrison Hall has been by far the most requested of the UC residences.”

In 2008, the Morrisons made a donation for a comprehensive revitalization of Robarts Library – the largest private donation ever made to the renewal of a library in Canada. They made a further significant gift in 2010 to support a five-storey addition to the main library. Designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects, the Robarts Common will be connected to the main library by a four-storey bridge.

Up to 18,000 students, faculty members, alumni and others visit Robarts Library daily and demand is expected to grow. The Common will help to meet the need by adding 1,222 new study spaces, bringing the library’s total number of spaces to 6,027.

“Russell Morrison was an ardent advocate for the creation of library environments to enable students to be as productive as possible,” says Chief Librarian Larry Alford. “By enhancing study spaces through his philanthropy, he has helped to inspire students as they deepen their knowledge.

“True to his lifelong career in the investment field, he described his philanthropic commitments in terms of return on investment. His remarkable investment has had an undeniable influence on the academic success of thousands of current students and will influence countless more in generations to come,” Alford says.

Morrison’s commitment to the development of the U of T library system was motivated in part by his experience as a student, says the University’s Chief Librarian Emerita, Carole Moore, a close friend. “He remembered his days as an undergraduate, when the library provided much-needed study space, away from a noisy home environment. However, the large reading rooms with creaky floors were not ideal for concentration.”

Providing the resources necessary for students to reach their full potential was Morrison’s ultimate goal. “He encouraged U of T to carefully consider students’ needs for quality space, information technology, state-of-the art services and collections,” says Moore. “Perhaps most importantly, Russell urged us to look at the changes that will affect the library in coming decades and then made enormous financial donations to help us adapt appropriately.

“Russell was a true visionary and an example for us all. His contributions have been given with great modesty—the largest, without naming. The Robarts Common will be dedicated to its users and in honour of the many people who have contributed in various ways.”

Moore also notes Katherine Morrison’s contribution to what was a lifelong partnership. “Katherine has been an active user of the Robarts Library since her days as a graduate student and continuing as an instructor, scholar and author. Over her long career she has gained an intimate knowledge of the importance of a research library to scholars across the disciplines. She has worked to assist the library in reaching the highest levels for the benefit of the entire University, and was a founder of one of our donor initiatives, the Library Associates.”

Russell Morrison is survived by Katherine and by two daughters and a son—Leslie A. Sinclair (BASc 1983, MASc 1985), Rev. Donna Morrison-Reed and Robert J. Morrison (BA 1980 UC, MA 1991).

Philanthropy

U of T lowers flags to half-mast in honour of Loretta Rogers

Read more about Loretta Rogers on the Defy Gravity website

Eaton family's $1 million gift marks a century of support for U of T's Faculty of Medicine

Remembering Alfred Bader (1924-2018)

Scarborough business owner donates $2 million to U of T for Tamil studies

Read CBC story on donation

Couldn’t have done it without you: the U of T community gives back

Read about the exhibition

You can still donate up to December 31

U of T’s Boundless campaign surpasses historic $2-billion mark and expands goal to $2.4 billion

U of T’s Boundless campaign surpasses historic $2-billion mark and expands goal to $2.4 billion

Remembering Margaret and John Bahen: “Among our most distinguished alumni”

Remembering Russell J. Morrison (1923 – 2016)