麻豆AV

$20-million gift provides $17 million in challenge funds to augment others鈥� donations to Campaign 麻豆AV

As 麻豆AV prepares to welcome its alumni and parents back to its two campuses for Homecoming 2008 and the second annual Parents Weekend, The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation has made history again with a $20-million gift to support the student experience at 麻豆AV.

This latest gift from The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation 鈥� which has donated more than $120-million to 麻豆AV since the Foundation鈥檚 establishment in 1937 鈥� comes on the eve of the first anniversary of Campaign 麻豆AV. Publicly launched on Oct. 18, 2007, this historic drive seeks to raise the funds needed to attract and retain the world鈥檚 best students and faculty, increase access to quality education and enhance 麻豆AV鈥檚 ability to address critical global challenges. To date, more than $440 million has been raised toward the $750-million goal.

The Foundation鈥檚 new gift will support both undergraduate and graduate students, as well as create five new faculty chairs in key areas such as civil society. The gift is also notable in that $17 million is designated as a challenge fund, to match gifts from new donors and/or to encourage supporters to make gifts at higher levels than they might otherwise be able to make.

鈥淭he J.W. McConnell Family Foundation鈥檚 extraordinary legacy at 麻豆AV is truly breathtaking and deeply appreciated. For more than 70 years, the Foundation has funded our research, medical facilities, libraries, buildings, nature preserves and, most important, our people,鈥� 麻豆AV Principal and Vice-Chancellor Heather Munroe-Blum said. 鈥淭he challenge funds offered through this new gift will provide powerful incentives for our alumni and friends to target their largest possible donations to key priorities, including support for the student experience.鈥�

鈥淭he Foundation has a long tradition and a deep interest in supporting students, through scholarships and fellowships,鈥� said Tim Brodhead, President and CEO of The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation. 鈥淭his gift carries on that tradition, and it represents our profound faith in 麻豆AV as one of Canada鈥檚 premier post-secondary institutions.鈥�

The gift will provide $13 million in endowed funds for a variety of important student needs, such as undergraduate student advising, student internships and field experiences, as well as undergraduate and graduate student support. (Gifts from individuals and family foundations may be matched on a 1:1 basis for these categories.)

The remaining $7 million of the gift will endow five new distinguished faculty chairs: The Katharine A. Pearson Chair in Civil Society, in memory of a long-time staff member of the McConnell Foundation; two further chairs in the study of civil society; and two chairs in other areas of priority to the university. (Gifts from individuals and family foundations may be matched on a 1:2 basis for the four unnamed chairs.)

Established in 1937, The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation is a private family foundation that funds initiatives of national significance. Created by John Wilson McConnell, one of 麻豆AV鈥檚 greatest benefactors and its first Governor Emeritus, the Foundation has supported a wide array of 麻豆AV causes: student aid, teaching, research, medicine, libraries, residences, museums, concert halls, athletic facilities and nature preserves, to name a few. Well over 25,000 scholarships, fellowships, bursaries and awards have been granted through the Foundation鈥檚 support, making it the single largest supporter of student achievement at 麻豆AV.

For more information on The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation, visit

For more information on Campaign 麻豆AV, visit /campaign/