Lucy & Michelle
Class giving has been a tradition at Mac since the McMaster Alumni Association was founded in 1894. A group of people joined by their graduation year coming together to make individual gifts to help a larger cause at McMaster does not go unnoticed. Whether it is adding a new bench or garden, enhancing a study room with new technology or supporting student bursaries, the impact of class giving is celebrated each and every day by today’s classes.
Lucy Kisway graduated in 1968 and years later began giving to McMaster. Over the years Lucy has supported campus beautification, her Class of ’68 project, and student bursaries. In her words below, Lucy explains why she loves McMaster and the inspiration behind her philanthropy.
McMaster has always been a very special place for me. In September of 1968 it was vastly different from what it is today. The RBG Sunken Gardens, a beautiful area of peaceful tranquility, were replaced by the Medical building which was a great addition to the campus and a boon for the reputation of the university. Hamilton Hall and the Burke Physical sciences buildings were the main areas that I spent my time having graduated in Biology. McMaster was the place that I learned how to think critically, developed my problem-solving skills, and became an adult who took responsibility for my actions. It is these important characteristics that all McMaster students need to develop during their time here in this magical place where one is free to make mistakes and make decisions that will affect the rest of one’s life.
Education is one of the most important tools for improving society as a whole as well as developing world peace. I have always felt that if everyone in the world had access to a good education that would go a long way towards our understanding of others and would help us realize how much alike we are instead of thinking about our differences. Perhaps this is one of the factors that led me into teaching. After retiring from the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board where I taught Biology, Chemistry, and Science at the high school level, I had the amazing opportunity to live and teach science in Hong Kong and Germany. Living and teaching abroad made me realize how similar we all are in what we want out of life. It is interesting to me that many universities are encouraging a year of study abroad towards the end of one’s degree program. I highly encourage this endeavour as it is a life-altering experience that will open student’s eyes to the world. It helps to expand one’s thinking and appreciation of other cultures.
Overseas learning is a costly activity and is one of the areas that donations such as mine can help support students when they choose to go abroad. I have been lucky enough to have had this experience albeit at a later stage of my life but none the less important in broadening my perspectives. It has been my privilege to donate to McMaster students to help them achieve this goal which I very much encourage each of them to do. These are the best years of your life. A saying that you must have heard many times before and will find out is true as you move through your life. This is the time that you should be discovering the world around you. You are living in a small, safe microcosm that allows you to determine who you are and what your values are. Education and travel are important tools to help you understand yourself.
May you always have something to laugh about.
Lucy Kisway, BSc Biology ‘68
How much of a relief does a bursary provide to you as a full-time student?
The impact that bursary support has had on me during my time here at Mac has been great. I am the first person in my family to go to university and I didn’t quite understand how the whole financial aid system worked. However, through my job here at the phone program and wonderful friends who have been receiving support since day one at McMaster, I was guided towards getting the much-needed help that was available to me. I have worked part-time and full-time jobs since I was 14 years old. The idea of money with no strings attached has always been a mysterious gift to me. When I first began working at the phone program I had received a few scholarships in my first year, but they were due to months of endless applications and keeping my average at a certain point. Bursaries were not something I knew I could receive. Last year in my fourth year, I got my first bursary and it was great. It covered almost two months of rent and allowed me the opportunity to actually focus more on myself and my studies rather than working several jobs just to make ends meet. I am quite blessed as my parents do help to support my education where they can, but having three children spreads the wealth quite thin. I still work a part-time job (or two) as it does not cover all my expenses, but it does alleviate financial stress and is money that I don’t have to worry about paying back. Whatever the amount is, it is usually quite significant and is the difference between being able to cover all your given expenses in a month or not. Something I like to tell donors when I have a chance to speak with them on the phone is that, “a bursary is like a life preserver when you’re drowning in all the cost and responsibilities that come with being a student. It really keeps your head above water when you’re drowning.” So bursaries definitely provide a lot of relief!
As a recipient of a bursary, if you could speak to someone who has donated to a bursary fund, what would you tell them?
THANK YOU! Honestly, their contribution makes such a difference in the lives of students. There are so many people (myself included) that really count on the financial support a bursary brings. Bursaries are the difference that allow more students to come to post-secondary education regardless of their financial situation. Bursaries allow students to focus on the real reason we pursue higher education — our studies — rather than worrying if we’ll be able to pay our rent next month or cover the cost for that mandatory textbook.
Michelle Rego, BSc Life Science ‘18
To make your gift and have an infinite impact at McMaster click here.
If you have any comments or questions, please contact giving@mcmaster.ca.
