In this picture: (L-R) Representatives from Saint Dunstan’s University Board of Governors, George Morrison, Executive Director, and Robert Pierce, Board Chair, stand with Kent Scales, Holland College Foundation Past Chair and Thrive Campaign Lead; and, Dr. Alexander (Sandy) MacDonald, Holland College President, in front of the student wellness centre in Charlottetown.

Saint Dunstan’s University (SDU) Board of Governors has made a leadership gift of $500,000 to the Holland College Foundation designated for Thrive, a campaign focused on student wellness, resilience, and success. The SDU gift will provide educational opportunities, reduce barriers, and support the health and wellness of students.

“Saint Dunstan’s University played a significant role in the founding of post-secondary education in Prince Edward Island, and the SDU board continues to invest in the education of students and in initiatives that are of importance to the community today,” said Dr. Alexander (Sandy) MacDonald, President of Holland College. “This generous gift will help to ensure that all students at Holland College have access to the academic, health care, and mental health supports they need to be successful on their academic journey and thrive throughout their lives.”

The history of SDU originates with the founding of St. Dunstan’s College on the northern outskirts of Charlottetown, PEI, in 1855. By the mid-20th century, the college had expanded into a small liberal arts university, and a post-Second World War enrolment boom mandated an expansion of residences and teaching buildings on the campus. SDU received a provincial degree-granting charter in 1917 but its first bachelor’s degrees weren’t awarded until the spring of 1941. Prior to this, SDU had been affiliated with Université Laval, through which they had been awarding joint degrees since the 1890s.

Much like its sister institution, Prince of Wales College (PWC), SDU also operated a high school, offering senior matriculation to those students wishing to continue into academic or professional studies. By the 1960s, the provincial government began a study of its post-secondary education institutions, concluding that the institutions should be merged. In May of 1969, the last classes graduated from PWC and SDU. The University of Prince Edward Island opened in September 1969 on the former SDU campus, and the former PWC campus became the new home of Holland College.

“It is most appropriate for Saint Dunstan’s to support students at Holland College,” said Robert Pierce, Chair of Saint Dunstan’s University Board of Governors. “Opening in 1855 on the outskirts of Charlottetown, Saint Dunstan’s was a major pillar in the province’s post-secondary education for 114 years.  With this contribution, Saint Dunstan’s is continuing its tradition of supporting students in their post-secondary studies.”

One half of SDU’s $500,000 gift will be designated to the establishment of a student wellness centre, where academic supports, primary health care, and mental health services will be centralized, integrated, and expanded. The remaining $250,000 will establish an endowment that will fund a portfolio of entrance awards for Island students who face academic or mental health challenges, thereby reducing some of the barriers to pursuing post-secondary education.

Kent Scales, Past Chair of the Holland College Foundation and Thrive Campaign Lead, thanked the SDU Board of Governors for their generous gift to Holland College and its students.

“Saint Dunstan’s University is deeply rooted in Prince Edward Island’s history, and with this gift they continue to promote and advance post-secondary education in our province,” said Scales.

To learn more about the Thrive campaign and how you can contribute, visit hollandcollege.com/foundation.