Giving stories

Claire and Will Cupples
Will and Claire in Finnerty Gardens

Sharing a love of Science

UVic alumni and scientists Claire and Will Cupples pledged $2 million to support a new Life Sciences Innovation Fund. 

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Dale and Sienna stand beside each other smiling at the camera. Behind them are large gold church-like structures
Dale and Sienna in Ukraine in 2019

No act too big or too small

Booster Juice initiates a second emergency fellowship for Ukrainian PhD students. Founder and President, Dale Wishewan shares why he is giving back. 

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A ceremonial big house and totem pole
Wawadiťła—the ceremonial big house at Thunderbird Park (photo credit: Krystal Hunt)

Reconciling ourselves with our history

Alumnus Bruce McKean established the Chief Mungo Martin Research Chair in Indigenous Mental Health with a $1.5 million gift. Here's his story about that gift.

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Rob Ferguson
Rob Ferguson with his donated 1981 Osborne 1 computer

Paying it forward in an obsolete world

Rob Ferguson generously gifted UVic Libraries' Historic Computing Lab 14 unique pieces to engage students with iconic retro technology.

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Linnea Turnquist
Linnea Turnquist in the Gwynne Studio she supported to help students feel they belong

Giving for the past, present and future

Passionate about student mental health, Linnea Turnquist (BSc'92) continues to look for opportunities and ways she can help support the next generation. 

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Drew Mildon and Athena Madan
Drew Mildon and Athena Madan establish new scholarship

Amplifying Indigenous voices

Drew Mildon (BA’99, JD’06) and Dr. Athena Madan (an associate professor of sociology) recently created the Presquito Murdoch Indigenous Law Award, named in honour of their grandmothers and with a desire to help Indigenous students.

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A man and woman sit on grass smiling at two children
Judy Zhu, James Thom and their two children.

The mindset to succeed

Reflecting on their own experiences led alumni Judy Zhu and James Thom to establish an award they hope will support students who share their mindset.

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Man in suit standing with hands resting on a chair back in a living room
Honorary degree recipient, Marvin Storrow.

A fight for rights

Marvin Storrow (LLD ’21) championed Indigenous rights in court—and supported legal education through a gift that honours his wife, the Colette Storrow Award.

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Patricia standing on a rock at Cattle Point
Alumna Patricia Collins visiting Victoria in 2019

A pivotal email at a pivotal time

In July 2020, Patricia was saying an emotional goodbye to Victoria when she received an email about UVic's Research Accelerator Fund that spoke to her about hope, community and a way to bring the suffering caused by the pandemic to a close.

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Libraries staff member with laptops for loan
UVic Libraries loan out laptops to students

Digitization and enrichment

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a sudden and intense shift in library users' needs. Support from donors swelled in response, helping UVic Libraries maintain its vital support role for students, faculty and community members.

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Baneet Hans
Baneet Hans is the first recipient of the new scholarship for Law students

Moving from learning to action

As public awareness of pervasive racial inequality rises, a substantial number of new donor-funded awards at UVic are promoting equity for students from groups with current or historical barriers to education.

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Swayne in her lab with fellow researchers
Dr. Swayne is researching the affects of COVID-19 on the brain

Research Accelerator Fund

UVic launched the Research Accelerator Fund to empower the university’s world-class researchers to respond to the urgent needs of communities. Donations to that fund are boosting six projects focused on making communities stronger in the wake of the pandemic.

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