Class of '83 steps up with gifts totalling more than half a million
What started as an idea to create a single student award has grown into a remarkable $600,000 gift to the College of Law from the Class of 1983.
Initially, classmates Mary Tastad and Lorraine Prefontaine, both LLB grads from 1983, were looking for a way to celebrate their 40th reunion and provide a way for their classmates to give back to the college.
They decided to set up an Indigenous student award. Their initiative became a jumping off point for an extraordinary demonstration of generosity.
Members of their class, who gathered for their reunion in October 2023, soon began supporting all four of the pillars in the University of Saskatchewan (USask) Be What the World Needs $500-million fundraising campaign.
They contributed in a variety of ways: funding a disability/mental health study, creating two new awards, setting up annual pledges, and establishing estate gifts. The grand total is close to $600,000 and growing.
It’s a remarkable achievement for a remarkable class now at or near the end of their law careers who want to make a difference at their law school, says Ken Fredeen, a member of the class who is also co-leading fund-raising efforts by all Law alumni for the larger USask campaign.
“I am pretty darn proud of my classmates” he says. “The four pillars of our campaign really struck a chord with the Class of ’83 and my hope is that our giving will spur other classes to consider doing the same. This is a remarkable opportunity to give.”
Bonnie Braithwaite-Lee (LLB‘83) explains why she contributed to the class Indigenous student award and created one of her own.
“The college provided me with a foundation that led to a very fulfilling career, including the opportunity to work with several Indigenous groups on matters of importance to their communities.
“In today’s challenging times, I believe it’s important to give back to the college. My particular interest is in supporting opportunities for more Indigenous students to attend our college.”
A sincere thank you to the Class of ’83 for its tremendous support!
To learn more about how you or your class can make a difference and support access to education in law or any of the college’s other top priorities, please reach out to Stacey Schewaga, Development Officer at 306-966-5606 or stacey.schewaga@usask.ca
Article originally published at https://law.usask.ca