RHODES to SUCCESS
HOW DONORS SUPPORTED VIC’S TWO RHODES SCHOLARS
Alumnus Donates $500,000 to Boost Mental Health and Wellness Services
By Tina Adamopoulos
When Sandy McIntyre Vic 7T4 discussed his $500,000 donation to Victoria College with President Rhonda McEwen toward the end of the pandemic, he learned that an important priority was to increase the availability of student mental health and wellness services.
The extra support would be essential to help students adjust and thrive in a postpandemic world, especially after being physically disconnected from campus life for close to two years of remote learning.
His donation, made in 2022, was earmarked for creating mental health and wellness counselling spaces in the Goldring Student Centre. That work was completed in the summer of 2024 as part of the renovations that brought all student services together in one location, including the Office of the Registrar and Academic Advising, the Office of the Dean of Students and the Victoria College Writing Centre.
A plaque to recognize the generosity of McIntyre’s donation will be mounted on the wall in the new wellness space in the Goldring Student Centre.
“Education goes beyond academics; it’s about nurturing a sense of self and that starts with mental health and wellbeing,” said McIntyre, a member of Victoria University’s Defy Gravity campaign cabinet. “I’m proud to contribute to this new campus space, and to helping students get the support they need in order to have a great student experience while they are at Vic.”
The new spaces for student wellness services on the second floor of the Goldring Student Centre include offices for the associate dean, wellness and community engagement (a new position), and the assistant dean, equity and wellness. There are also lounge areas where students can unwind or study. Personal counsellors, a learning strategist, an accessibility adviser and wellness peers are available. Student interns from Emmanuel College's Master of Psychospiritual Studies, specializing in the Spiritual Care and Psychotherapy degree program, also provide counselling support to Victoria College students.
“Students choose Vic for its robust college experience, including strong academic programs, broad co-curricular
activities and a solid social network,” said Kelley Castle, dean of students. “To help students thrive in all of these ways, we now have a huge web of support in one place, to give them a strong and holistic foundation on which they can build.”
McIntyre earned a degree in English and philosophy while he was at Vic and was active on the football team, where he made a strong network of friends. He had a long career in the financial services industry, including as executive vice-chairman and director of Sentry Investments. He retired in 2019 from CI Global Asset Management, where he was a capital markets strategist.
In addition to his gift for the GSC, McIntyre has supported Victoria University’s Annual Fund for almost two decades. Of his $500,000 donation, $25,000 went to the Annual Fund, which supports initiatives such as the Vic One Program, scholarships and maintaining the historic campus.
“Donors like Sandy are rare,” said Louise Yearwood, the executive director of Alumni Affairs & Advancement.
“His awareness of the significance of annual giving and his unwavering and consistent support for Victoria College has created a deep and lasting impact on the university.”
ON THE COVER: Victoria University is celebrating a historic achievement as two of its students, Noah Rudder and Amy Mann, have been selected to be 2025 Rhodes Scholars. Both credit support from donors as helping their “Rhodes to Success.” Mann received both The Susan and Murray Armitage Scholarship and The Dr. John Benjamin Gullen Scholarship. Rudder’s donor-supported scholarships and bursaries include a Victoria University Opportunity Award for under-represented students, funded by Bader Philanthropies, Inc. Photo by Will Dang.
Sandy McIntyre in 2022 at the opening of UTS’s McIntrye Gymnasium.
Photo courtesy of University of Toronto Schools
Learning strategist Benjamin Pottruff working in the new wellness space in the Goldring Student Centre that was supported by a donation from McIntyre.
Photo by Will Dang
Photo by Will Dang
Planting the Seeds of Change at Vic U
By Leslie Shepherd
Victoria University is fundraising for two projects that reflect the school’s deep commitment to education, equity and reconciliation—the Dr. Jean Augustine Professorship in Transformative Education and an Indigenous Healing Garden.
The university is seeking $2.5 million to establish a named professorship honouring Dr. Augustine’s pioneering legacy of advancing equity and social justice while creating opportunities for historically underserved communities. About $500,000 has been raised so far.
The professorship will be embedded in Victoria College’s Education & Society program and the Vic One Education stream and will champion inclusive teaching practices, foster community partnerships and tackle systemic inequities. This initiative will empower future leaders and educators to shape a society rooted in fairness and opportunity.
Victoria has the only undergraduate education/teaching program in the University of Toronto system.
“Victoria has a long and rich tradition of supporting and advancing women leaders, including Augusta Stowe-Gullen, the first woman to graduate from medical school in Canada, former Latvian President Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga and Judy LaMarsh, who was the first female Liberal cabinet minister— under Lester B. Pearson, another Vic grad,” said Victoria University President Dr. Rhonda McEwen. “In keeping with our Strategic Framework to foster greater inclusion, it is exciting that Dr. Augustine will be the first Black Canadian woman to have a named endowed professorship at U of T.”
Vic U will honour Dr. Augustine at the Isabel Bader Theatre as part of Black History Month celebrations in February. Dr. Augustine was the first Black woman elected as a Member
of Parliament in Canada and the first appointed as a federal cabinet minister. Her many accomplishments in government include having February officially recognized as Black History Month.
Please join us on Feb. 6, 2025, for a screening of Steadfast: The Jean Augustine Story, with remarks by President McEwen and Dr. Augustine. A cocktail reception with live music will follow.
Meanwhile, on the east side of Emmanuel College, work has begun on an Indigenous Healing Garden and accessible pathway—a space for reflection, truth and reconciliation, and a living classroom for learning about Indigenous traditions and stewardship of the land.
The garden, created in consultation with Indigenous advisers, will be fully accessible and ecologically sustainable, growing Indigenous sacred medicinal plants, as well as vegetables and wildflowers. The garden is expected to officially open in the spring of 2025 to coincide with celebrations for the United Church of Canada’s centennial.
The goal is to raise $500,000 toward the cost of building the garden, through donations and naming opportunities for paver stones, plant beds, benches, lighting, the walking path and the accessibility ramp and railing.
“Both of these mini campaigns support Vic U’s strategic priorities and are part of Defy Gravity: The Campaign for Victoria University,” said Louise Yearwood, executive director of Alumni Affairs & Advancement. “We hope that the Victoria community will embrace these initiatives enthusiastically and invest in this important work.”
To support these campaigns, please contact Victoria University’s Office of Alumni Affairs & Advancement at vic.alumni@utoronto.ca or 416-585-4500. Donations to the Indigenous Healing Garden can be made directly here.
Rendering courtesy of Brook McIlroy
Dr. Jean Augustine spoke during a Charter Day event on Oct. 9.
Indigenous Healing Garden
Several members of Bader Philanthropies, Inc., including President and CEO Daniel J. Bader, visited Victoria University on Nov. 1, which would have been the 98th birthday of his stepmother, Isabel Bader.
Bader Philanthropies Visits Vic
By Leslie Shepherd
When Noah Rudder arrived at Victoria University as an undergraduate student four years ago, he would call his best friend at Queen’s University and talk about this “absolutely gorgeous space” on campus where classes and events were held.
“I would tell him how every detail of this building was pristine, from the floors to the balconies, to the very air in the halls, and of course, I was speaking of the Isabel Bader Theatre,” Rudder said during a recent visit to Vic by the Bader family and Bader Philanthropies, Inc.
“So you can imagine my surprise when he responded to me very simply, ‘Oh we have one of those… and ours is nicer.’”
Rudder said he had an opportunity to visit the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts in Kingston in 2023 and had to admit it was “quite nice.”
But what struck him was how one benefactor had sponsored the nicest facility at not one but two schools, and what “a testament to their generosity” that was.
“That, to me, is a truly magnanimous act and speaks to the spirit and legacy of Mrs. (Isabel) Bader and Bader Philanthropies at large,” said Rudder, the recipient of a Bader Opportunity Award for under-represented students and recent recipient of a Rhodes Scholarship.
Several members of Bader Philanthropies, Inc., including President and CEO Daniel J. Bader, visited Victoria University on Nov. 1, which would have been the 98th birthday of his stepmother, Isabel Bader Vic 4T9 Hon. 9T5 She died in 2022.
Every year on her birthday the charitable foundation visits places that were special to Isabel and her husband Alfred Bader. The couple built a remarkable philanthropic legacy that benefited students, scholarship, research and the arts across Canada and the United States.
After touring the campus, including the Isabel Bader Theatre, the Bader family, board members and staff met students who had received Bader Scholarships and bursaries, Opportunity Awards and Scholars-in-Residence scholarships.
by
Photos
Peter Power
The Bader family and Bader Philanthropies, Inc., are together Victoria’s single largest donor, having given $8.6 million over the years, including $6 million in 1998 to name the purposebuilt 500-seat Isabel Bader Theatre.
They also gave $400,000 to the Opportunity Awards, which are offered to students from under-represented or at-risk groups, and a $1 million endowed gift to support the Jackman Scholarsin-Residence program, an immersive and intensive, four-week paid fellowship where undergraduate students live together on campus and conduct humanities and social science research with professors and researchers.
And they supported students who want to participate in the Independent Summer Program at Herstmonceux Castle, a 15th-century brick castle in England they gifted to Queen’s, Alfred Bader’s alma mater.
Dr. Rhonda McEwen said that when she arrived at Victoria University as president in 2022, the Isabel Bader Theatre was one of the campus buildings she knew best. As a documentary film fan, she often attended the Hot Docs Festival there.
“It is the centre for everything that happens at Vic,” McEwen said, noting that it is not just a location for festivals, concerts and conferences, it is also a lecture theatre for students and it is where Vic One plenaries and convocations take place.
Isabel Bader was born in Kirkland Lake in northern Ontario in 1926. Dan Bader said he wasn’t sure how she wound up in the big city of Toronto or at Vic, but she was the first member of her family to go to college, earning a BA in modern history in 1949.
“She loved this university and she loved this college,” he said. “It really gave her something that she had for the rest of her life, a sense of personal dignity.”
Shortly after she graduated, Isabel sailed to Britain to pursue graduate studies. On that voyage she met Alfred Bader, who also had a passion for the arts. They developed an immediate bond but parted ways. For the next 30 years, she pursued a career in teaching and developed an interest in theatre and poetry. Alfred founded an international chemical company based in Milwaukee. They eventually reconnected and married in 1982 and became a philanthropic force.
“Their gifts have benefitted countless students over many decades,” said McEwen. “This is something we treasure in our graduates—people who had an amazing experience and find a way to give back.”
In recognition of her tremendous contributions, Victoria University bestowed an honorary degree on Isabel Bader in 1995. In 2018, U of T inducted both Isabel and Alfred into the Chancellors’ Circle of Benefactors, which recognizes the university’s most generous donors. Victoria University published a collection of love letters between Isabel and Alfred titled A Canadian in Love, which was a special limited edition of 1,000 volumes.
“Your support in my journey has meant everything to me and my family over the last four years,” Noah Rudder said. “Thank you for making my load light enough to carry.”
Louise Yearwood, executive director of Alumni Affairs & Advancement, and Dan Bader.
Photos by Peter Power.
Dan Bader cuts a birthday cake celebrating what would have been Isbael Bader’s 98th birthday, along with her niece, Margaret Foster.
Dan Bader and Victoria University President Dr. Rhonda McEwen meet with students.
A Century of Living: How Jessie Swail Was Shaped by Her Time at Vic
By Leslie Shepherd
Jessie Swail Vic 4T8 says she never imagined she would live to be 100 and certainly doesn’t feel one century old.
But when she reflects on the extraordinary journey that took her from humble beginnings in a small Alberta town, to wartime service in the Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service, a long career in social work and a 67-year marriage, she credits Victoria College with being a major influence.
“I fell in love with it. I loved Victoria. I loved everything about it,” she says of the transformative years she spent earning her BA. “I learned so much about how to conduct my life that I never learned coming from a small town and a working-class family.”
Swail was born in Bannockburn, Scotland. She came to Canada when she was three with her mother and three siblings to join her father who had settled in the small town of Exshaw, Alta., near Canmore.
She graduated from high school in Banff in 1939 just before the start of the Second World War. As soon she turned 18, she joined the Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service, known as the Wrens, and was posted to the Point Edward Naval Base on Cape Breton Island throughout the war.
Returning to Banff in June 1946, she started waitressing at a local restaurant, where a middleaged couple staying at the Banff Springs Hotel became regular customers. When they asked her why she was waiting tables, she said she was saving money to go to the University of Alberta in Edmonton.
The husband wasn’t impressed, and said “I’m going to arrange for you to go to Victoria College in Toronto, where I graduated.” And he did. That man was Lester B. Pearson Vic 1T9, who would become Canada’s 14th prime minister after winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 and serving as Victoria University’s chancellor from 1952 to 1959.
Swail earned her general arts degree from Vic in only two years as she was given credit for one year for her service in the Wrens. Swail said her time here influenced the rest of her life.
She recalled the Dean of Women at the time, Dr. Jessie Macpherson, ran Annesley Hall “like a Swiss finishing school.” Students had to take turns acting as hostess at the head of the dining table, serving and conducting conversations. Only one conversation at a time was permitted and the topic had to be both interesting and relevant. The young women also had to bring guests to high tea on Sunday and introduce them properly.
After she graduated from Vic, Swail returned to Banff where she met Norman Swail, one of the many Alberta university students who drove buses for tourists, and married him the following year. They were married for 67 years until he died in 2015. They had four children, one of whom, David, is also a Vic grad 8T1.
Jessie and Norman decided to move to Vancouver, where they both enrolled in the University of British Columbia. He earned a degree in economics, and she got an MA in social work. She worked for the City of Vancouver and the provincial government before Norm’s job with Shell Oil took them across Canada, to Winnipeg, Hamilton and Toronto.
In Winnipeg, Swail worked as a journalist. She had a 15-minute radio commentary, which she would write the night before after her kids went to bed, and a TV program called All in the Family, where she “brought in families to talk about their problems,” long before the TV show produced by Norman Lear.
While working for the CBC in Winnipeg, Swail met another future prime minister, Pierre Elliot Trudeau, who was campaigning for the Liberal leadership—to replace Lester B. Pearson.
Swail went to the Fort Garry Hotel to ask Trudeau to answer a few questions.
“He was very co-operative,” she recalled. “I was interviewing him when his aide Tim Porteous came by and said, ‘Mr. Trudeau we have to go to the airport; the cab is waiting.’ Mr. Trudeau said, ‘Why don’t you come with us and finish your interview?’”
She did, but sadly when she got back to her studio, discovered all she had on her tape recorder were car sounds.
Swail also wrote for The Toronto Star, Star Weekly and Golf Digest. She also wrote a book about physics. While it was never published commercially, her children had it printed and bound. Swail said she never dreamed she would live to be 100, which happened on Oct. 19, 2024.
“I never paid attention to my age until suddenly I was turning 100 and everyone was making a fuss.”
Swail said she doesn’t feel 100. She still lives by herself in her 18th-floor West Vancouver apartment near Burrard Inlet, where she has six prints by Bill Reid, a Haida artist considered one of the most significant Northwest Coast artists of the 20th century (she and Norm were in the same class at UBC as his uncle Percy Gladstone), and two masks carved by Jimmy Joseph, purchased when he was a teenager, before he became a master carver.
What advice would she give today’s Vic students?
“The universe is unfolding as it should. Don’t get in the way. Say yes to life. When you say no, you stop the universe in its track. Be a positive person and always have positive thoughts.”
The Jessie (Millar) Swail and David Swail Scholarship was established in 2016 to express the Swails’ profound affection and respect for Vic and to help other students to have the same wonderful experience they both had. It is awarded to Victoria College students who have completed their second or third year of study, with preference to those focusing on English.
Photos courtesy of Victoria University
Jessie Swail with then-Victoria University Chancellor Carole Taylor Vic 6T7, at a Vancouver alumni reunion in 2018.
David and Jessie Swail sit beside the sculpture of Northrop Frye on a bench at Vic in 2016.
Judy Goldring Donates $1 Million to Name Reading Room in Birge-Carnegie
By Joe Howell
Judy Goldring Vic 8T7, a proud Vic alumna and co-chair of Victoria University’s Defy Gravity campaign, remembers the places of serenity she found on campus as an undergraduate student.
“I always enjoyed studying at either the E.J. Pratt Library or the Emmanuel College Library—both are just wonderful spaces for peace and quiet,” says Goldring, who now is president and head of global distribution at AGF Management Limited, a leading Canadian global asset management firm.
She recently donated $1 million to name the Goldring Reading Room in the historic Birge-Carnegie Building, which is undergoing a major revitalization. Her brother Blake Goldring Vic 8T1 is contributing an additional $500,000 toward the refurbishment of this iconic space on the Vic campus.
“I think Birge-Carnegie is an unsung hero from a building perspective,” says Goldring. “It’s gorgeous; it just needs
to get shined up so everybody can enjoy the space. Being able to provide another spot for peace, for that moment of reflection, is something Blake and I are really proud to support.”
Birge-Carnegie, the Gothic Revival structure located at the southeast corner of Charles Street and Queen’s Park Crescent, served as Victoria College’s library from 1910 until 1961. Since then, it has been underutilized.
The renovation will retain many of the heritage-listed building’s original architectural details while returning the Reading Room to its former glory.
“Once restored, the room will feature large pointed-arch windows with highly articulated stone ornamentation and surrounds, timber roof trusses with decorative components, and the Reading Room’s original wooden tables, designed for the space,” says Mayes Rihani, associate director for major capital project management and planning.
Goldring recalls how busy she was as an undergrad, balancing her economics degree with heavy involvement in campus extracurricular activities. The hectic schedule made her grateful for the peace offered by the campus libraries.
She says there was one thing sorely lacking at Vic during the 1980s: a dedicated space for students living off campus. As a commuter student herself, that memory was one reason she joined Blake Goldring as a lead donor in naming the Goldring Student Centre. That project doubled the space of the former Wymilwood building, created a commuter lounge and brought Vic U’s student clubs, levies and government together under one roof, along with various student services such as the Victoria College Writing Centre.
Service and giving back are two of Goldring’s core values. “We grew up with that around our household,” she says. “I was taught you can only achieve success through the aid, guidance and help of others—you can’t do it alone.”
This dedication to service was largely inspired by her late mother, Barbara Goldring, a nurse and mother of five who still always made time for charitable work.
The particular focus on higher education came from her late father, Warren Goldring, a member of U of T’s Class of 1949.
“One piece of advice my dad always gave me was ‘Remember your alma mater,’” says Goldring. “University is an experience that never leaves you. It shapes who you are.”
Photo by Will Dang
Donor Leaves Unrestricted Gift of $80,000 to Emmanuel College
Emmanuel College Principal HyeRan Kim-Cragg has never bought a lottery ticket nor been to Las Vegas. But she felt like she had won a grand prize when she heard that a donor with no known ties to the theological school had left a generous bequest in her will.
“I felt so blessed,” she said. “I didn’t know this woman, but she was obviously a long-term visionary.”
Jane Elizabeth Lawson left $80,000 in her will to Emmanuel College when she died in 2024 in London, Ont., at age 88, despite not having attended the theological school nor having made any previous donation.
Significantly, she made it an unrestricted gift, meaning Emmanuel can decide how best to use it. Many donations, while equally appreciated, are designated for specific programs, scholarships or other purposes.
“When you leave an unrestricted bequest, you are putting your faith in the institution to decide how best to use the money,” said Louise Yearwood, executive director of Alumni Affairs & Advancement at Victoria University. “Giving such a legacy gift freely and fully is particularly thoughtful.”
Yearwood said the money will be used to help create three scholarships:
• The Very Rev. Dr. Sang Chul Lee Memorial Scholarship, named in memory of the former chancellor of Victoria University (1992–98). It will be awarded to Emmanuel students whose course work or research includes Korean theologies, cultures and/or Indigenous wisdom, or demonstrates activity, leadership or advocacy in Korean peace.
• The Jane Elizabeth Lawson Award, named for the donor. It will be awarded to any Emmanuel student whose work or project focuses on sexuality and gender diversity studies or who demonstrates activity, leadership or advocacy on or off campus in the LGBTQ community. Money raised at a recent Drag & Spirituality conference held at Emmanuel will also contribute toward this scholarship.
• The Emmanuel College Music Scholarship. It will be awarded to students pursuing a Master of Sacred Music degree. Emmanuel is the only college in Canada that offers this degree and one of only three in North America.
Victoria University will contribute the additional monies necessary to ensure that each endowed scholarship receives $30,000.
According to her family, who live in the United States, Lawson was a graduate of McGill University. Her bequest came to Emmanuel via the United Church of Canada Foundation where she had some years ago arranged a charitable gift annuity. She had designated the residue to Emmanuel College. She also gave to several other churches and universities who were also beneficiaries of her other annuities, exemplifying her generous, philanthropic spirit.
For information on gift and estate planning and the five steps you can take to plan your legacy, please email sharon.gregory@utoronto.ca or call 416-813-4050. If you are considering a bequest in your will to Victoria or Emmanuel, here is suggested wording:
I give and bequeath to the Board of Regents of Victoria University, Toronto, Ontario, the sum of $ or % or shares of my estate.
Photo by Will Dang
Defy Gravity: The Campaign for Victoria University Nears Half way Milestone
Victoria University’s ambitious Defy Gravity campaign is nearing the halfway mark toward its $80 million fundraising goal.
This success reflects the university community's collective commitment to strengthening Vic U’s role as a leader in broadbased, inclusive education, says Mary Heinmaa, director of philanthropy for Vic’s Alumni Affairs & Advancement.
“Since January 2019, we’ve raised almost $38 million dollars,” says Heinmaa. “That puts us at 46 per cent of our goal.”
Vic U’s Defy Gravity campaign, now approaching its fifth year, is built around the four pillars in the university’s Strategic Framework: Belong, Explore, Encounter and Transform. These pillars guide investments in student scholarships and awards, academic offerings, infrastructure and transformative learning experiences.
Defy Gravity: The Campaign for Victoria University
BELONG: Student Support Scholarships, bursaries, academic
ENCOUNTER: Capital/ Infrastructure Campus improvements, sustainability, Indigenous Healing Garden, Birge-Carnegie Building, Vic Chapel and art collection
EXPLORE: Outstanding Academic Offerings Centre for Creativity, professorships, Vic One program, lecture series and VOLT program
TRANSFORM: Signature Learning Experiences Vic Ready program, Scholarsin-Residence program and Northrop Frye Centre
Through Defy Gravity, Victoria University has been able to support projects that are redefining the campus experience, such as the redevelopment of the Birge-Carnegie building. The updates to this heritage-listed building include refurbishing the iconic Reading Room, introducing modern study and gathering spaces, and significant improvements to accessibility.
Funding from the campaign will also support the creation of an Indigenous Healing Garden in consultation with Indigenous advisers. This fully accessible, sustainable garden will feature sacred Indigenous medicinal plants, vegetables and wildflowers, along with an accessibility ramp, benches and more. It reflects Victoria University’s commitment to the truth and reconciliation process.
Louise Yearwood, executive director of Alumni Affairs & Advancement for Vic U, says the university’s ability to undertake projects like these can be attributed to donors of all stripes.
“We reached this milestone thanks to the generosity of both long-standing and new supporters,” says Yearwood. “I particularly want to emphasize that this achievement has been driven by our dedicated network of over 35,000 alumni and supporters whose contributions, both big and small, ensure the continued success of Victoria University.”
Yearwood also highlighted the importance of planned gifts.
“Legacy gifts make up 37 per cent of our campaign fundraising,” she says. “Without the foresight and generosity of our gift-planning donors, a lot of great things at Vic simply wouldn’t happen.”
Yearwood is also quick to point out the critical role played by the campaign’s cabinet, led by co-chairs Judy Goldring and David Wilson, and honorary chair Wendy Cecil.
“Our campaign cabinet is composed of volunteers who have donated their time and energy to ensure that we meet our fundraising targets,” says Yearwood.
“They help us to cultivate relationships with alumni and donors, acting as ambassadors for Victoria University.”
In 2025, the Alumni Affairs & Advancement team will remain focused on raising funds for scholarships, bursaries and other projects like the new Centre for Creativity. They will also continue supporting initiatives like the creation of the Dr. Jean Augustine Professorship in Transformative Education. This prestigious new professorship will honour Dr. Augustine’s lifelong commitment to equality, social justice and inclusive education, advancing the university’s mission to inspire meaningful change and leadership in education.
Heinmaa and Yearwood stress that Alumni Affairs & Advancement’s work is also focused on uniting the alumni community, bringing together generations through a host of special events, including Alumni Reunion each spring, to bond over the shared experience of attending Victoria University.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all members of the Vic U community for supporting Defy Gravity: The Campaign for Victoria University. Your generosity and dedication have driven our efforts forward and helped turn vision into reality. Here is the makeup of the campaign team:
Honorary Chair
Wendy Cecil Vic 7T1, chancellor emerita
Honorary Members
Nick Saul Vic 9T0, chancellor
Carole Taylor Vic 6T7, chancellor emerita
Campaign Co-Chairs
Judy Goldring Vic 8T7
David Wilson Vic 6T8
Committee Members
Sonia Baxendale Vic 8T4
Sophia Chan-Combrink Vic 9T6 (new)
John Grant Vic 8T3
Paul Gooch, president emeritus
Doug Houston Vic 8T7 (new)
Brian Johnston Vic 8T1
Rizwan Khalfan Vic 9T5
Rhonda N. McEwen, president and vice-chancellor
Sandy McIntyre Vic 7T4
Jane Pepino Vic 6T7 (new)
Pauline Thompson Vic 6T3
Meet the newest members of the committee
Sophia Chan-Combrink Vic 9T6 is VP of external relations at ventureLAB, based in Markham, Ont., where she manages government relations, liaises with public sector entities and fosters partnerships with academic institutions. She was previously the executive director of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, and has more than 20 years of hands-on managerial experience at non-profit organizations.
Doug Houston Vic 8T7 has more than 32 years of experience at one of Canada’s leading financial institutions. He is a strategic adviser to corporate, commercial, high net worth, government and institutional clients across a broad range of financial products and is known for building longterm client relationships.
Jane Pepino Vic 6T7 is a partner at Aird & Berlis LLP, where she founded the firm’s Municipal and Land Use Planning Group and provides advice on planning, zoning and land development throughout Ontario. She served three terms on U of T’s Governing Council, including as vice-chair.
Thank you to our departing members for their time and service:
Stephen Coxford Vic 7T4
Stephen Grant Vic 7T0
Pam Marchant Vic 9T6
And a special thanks to honorary campaign member Norman Jewison Vic 4T9, chancellor emeritus, who died this year at age 97.
Jennifer Bright Receives Named Professorship in Buddhist Spiritual Care
The inaugural Wutai Shan Venerable Dayi Professor in Buddhist Spiritual Care at Victoria University's Emmanuel College will be Dr. Jennifer Bright, an assistant professor of Buddhist spiritual care and counselling since 2023.
“I am feeling joyful and immensely grateful for this transformative and historic gift,” Bright said. “Venerable Dayi’s vision of Buddhist education in spiritual care and psychotherapy speaks to the values of wisdom and compassion in pragmatic and concrete ways that will benefit many people.”
The endowed professorship will allow Bright to further integrate Buddhist principles with therapeutic practices, do more research and attract more students. She will also mentor students in the Master of Psychospiritual Studies program, preparing them to become chaplains, counsellors, and spiritual care leaders in hospitals, educational institutions, senior homes, prisons, other public institutions, and in Buddhist temples.
The Buddhist Association of Canada has pledged $3 million to endow the professorship, the first in Canada for Buddhist spiritual care. It is the largest gift Emmanuel College has ever received.
“The gift was particularly timely, as Emmanuel College is celebrating the 10th anniversary this academic year of the creation of the Buddhist focus for its Master of Psychospiritual Studies program, joining the Christian and Muslim foci,” said Principal HyeRan KimCragg. “Emmanuel is the only academic institution in Canada to offer a fully accredited program in Buddhist spiritual care.”
The professorship is named after the Wutai Shan Buddhist Garden, which officially opened to the public in April 2024. It also honours Venerable Dayi Shi for his contributions as president of the Buddhist Association of Canada and abbot of Wutai Shan Buddhist Garden.
Bright, who is also a licensed psychotherapist, will assume the professorship on July 1, 2025.
Dr. Jennifer Bright, an assistant professor of Buddhist spiritual care and counselling since 2023, is the inaugural Wutai Shan Venerable Dayi Professor in Buddhist Spiritual Care at Emmanuel College.
Venerable Dayi expressed his joy with her appointment, noting that Bright is also an instructor at the Buddhist College of Canada.
“This appointment will undoubtedly strengthen the collaboration with Emmanuel College,” he said. “Professor Bright will continue to share the wisdom and compassion of Buddhism through spiritual care, benefiting people from all walks of life.”
Bright holds a PhD from U of T’s Department for the Study of Religion and the Collaborative Program in Women’s Health at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, and a Master of Pastoral Studies from Emmanuel College. Her doctoral work focused on Tibetan Buddhism and medicine, and she made several trips to China, India and Nepal. Bright’s current research involves Buddhist spiritual care and counselling, moral injury and Buddhist approaches to truth and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.
With this gift, Emmanuel strengthens and deepens its partnership and collaboration with the Buddhist Association of Canada.
In February 2024, the Buddhist Association of Canada announced a $50,000 gift to create The Venerable Dayi Shi Scholarship, which will be awarded annually to two Emmanuel College students pursuing studies with a Buddhist focus.
Emmanuel and the Buddhist College of Canada, which is affiliated with the Buddhist Association of Canada, also kicked off a joint non-degree continuing education program this fall under the Centre for Religion and Its Contexts.
