GIVING MATTERS
Indigenous Student Support: Richard and Nancy Flynn Bursary
Planned Giving: Karen Kingsland MA'98
Saint Mary’s University Furthers Indigenous Student Support with New Bursary
Indigenous students at Saint Mary's University are receiving more opportunities for financial support through a new bursary. Made possible through a generous donation from Saint Mary’s University Board of Governors member Richard Flynn EMBA’97 and his wife Nancy, the endowed bursary will be awarded annually starting this Fall. “Saint Mary’s is committed to advancing support for Indigenous students. We recognize that Indigenous students may face barriers in accessing and completing their education, and we are focusing on expanding the resources available to them,” says Saint Mary's University President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. “The Richard and Nancy Flynn Bursary for Indigenous Students is a special investment, which will help Saint Mary’s in its commitment to a more inclusive and improved student experience. We are very thankful for the generosity of Richard and Nancy Flynn.” The Richard and Nancy Flynn Bursary for Indigenous Students will be available to Indigenous undergraduate students enrolled in any program at Saint Mary’s who are in financial need and meet the minimum academic requirements. “Young people are our hope for a better and more tolerant future, and having the means, I feel compelled to make a contribution that will help our future leaders,” explains Flynn. “The bursary is our way of helping Saint Mary’s in its commitment to being an institution that encourages, supports and nurtures Indigenous students to aspire to life-long learning and recognizes the importance of tolerance and diversity in society at large.”
Former Indigenous Student Advisor and Founder/Inaugural Chair of Atlantic Association of College & University Student Services (AACUSS) Indigenous Services Division at Saint Mary’s, Raymond Sewell MA'14, is thankful for the Richard and Nancy Flynn Bursary for Indigenous Students. “I’m grateful for the creation of this new bursary, which will help support our Indigenous students,” Sewell says. “I’m really excited about the future cohorts that will receive this and what they will do. It’s part of our culture growing and blossoming at Saint Mary’s.”
“Follow your heart when deciding where, when and how to give”
Helping Students Change the World through a Planned Gift
“Follow your heart when deciding where, when and how to give,” says Karen Kingsland MA’98. “Wherever it leads you is the right place to be, and that is what I’ve done.”
When Kingsland was considering making a legacy gift, she reflected on her passions, life experiences and time at Saint Mary’s University. “I’ve been very lucky and fortunate in my life—no major obstacles,” she explains. “However, I’ve always been keenly aware that there are others whose lives aren’t easy for them—physically, financially, or psychologically.”
Her passion for education and awareness of the barriers to university that many face are two of the reasons why Kingsland decided to make a gift to Saint Mary’s. “I’m happy to be able to support the students in the International Development Studies program by establishing scholarships,” she says. “By doing this, it gives students a financial incentive, plus it enables them to pursue their academic goals and helps them build confidence in that what they are doing is being valued.”
As a graduate of the IDS program herself, Kingsland knows first-hand the impact that the program, students, and alumni can have on the world’s social, economic, political and environmental problems. “While in the program, my focus was on protecting and defending vulnerable populations, because I feel strongly that there can be no sustainable development without lasting human security,” she says. “Now I’m in the position to give students the same opportunity to address global social and economic inequities.”
In 2013, Kingsland retired from her nursing career and continues her pursuit of knowledge and how it can help society. For her, the decision to give was an easy one. “I have a deep sense of appreciation that inspires me to give,” she explains. “If a small gift can help students achieve their goals, all the better. I’m also confident that one day those students will give back and support future generations.”
