Posted on March 15, 2016

Rogers Foundation – 1st anniversary
One year ago, the Rogers Foundation made the largest gift in Canadian healthcare history, $130 million towards the University of Toronto, Sick Kids, and University Health Network to improve our understanding and treatment of heart failure. The donation made possible the creation of the Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research, which integrates renowned strengths from all three partners across personalized genomic medicine, tissue engineering, advanced cardiac care and other key areas.

Peter and Melanie Munk – 5th anniversary
2015 marks the fifth anniversary of Peter and Melanie Munk’s $35-million gift to launch the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs (it had originally been established as the Munk Centre for International Studies with a gift in 2000). The 2010 gift brought Mr. and Mrs. Munk’s total giving to more than $51 million–the largest individual gift in U of T’s history. The Munk School has taken great strides to make Peter and Melanie Munk’s vision for U of T and Canada a reality, deeply integrating research on global affairs with teaching and public education, and housing world-renowned researchers and more than 40 academic centres and initiatives.

Terrence Donnelly – 5th anniversary
In 2010, visionary philanthropist Terrence J. Donnelly made a $12-million gift directed to the Terrence Donnelly Health Sciences Complex at U of T Mississauga, a world-class facility for the next generation of health practitioners, biomedical communicators, researchers and students. This followed his earlier gifts that were directed to the enormously successful Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research on the St. George campus which has become a world-renowned centre for biomedical research.

Mississauga Academy of Medicine – 5th anniversary
Terrence Donnelly’s gift was inspired by a $10-million anonymous donation in 2010 that made possible a new Health Sciences Complex at U of T Mississauga, which opened in August 2011. The complex houses the Mississauga Academy of Medicine, one of the most advanced sites for training family medicine and community-based primary care physicians in Canada. The Academy reflects a pivotal partnership between the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto, the University of Toronto Mississauga, and Trillium Health Partners. It opened with 54 first-year students and 2015 saw the inaugural class graduate from the Academy.

Russell and Katherine Morrison – 5th anniversary
2015 marks the fifth anniversary of a $15 million gift from Russell (BA 1947) and Katherine (PhD 1979) Morrison to establish the Robarts Common at U of T’s Robarts Library. They have since added to this remarkable support with earlier contributions totalling $13 million, making the Morrisons the most generous donors to student space in Canadian history. Their generosity to students also includes a $6-million gift that established Morrison Hall residence at University College.

Leslie Dan – 15th anniversary
Dr. Leslie Dan (BSc Pharm 1954, MBA 1959, DSc 1997) provided a landmark gift in 2000 that transformed pharmacy education in Canada. His generosity named the Faculty the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy and established the state-of-the-art Leslie L. Dan Pharmacy Building which serves as a gateway between Toronto’s health care institutions and the St. George campus.

Marcel Desautels – 15th anniversary
Working with the Rotman School and former Dean Roger Martin, Dr. Marcel Desautels (LLD 2003) made the first of several transformational gifts resulting in the establishment in 2000 of the Desautels Centre for Integrative Thinking. Over the past 15 years, the centre’s pioneering work continues to introduce innovations that are changing the way management schools teach. Desautels’ remarkable generosity to the Rotman School, which totals $41 million, has also led to the creation of a fellowship fund, the largest in the School’s history, and numerous faculty chairs.

Ted Rogers – 15th anniversary
In June 2000, Ted Rogers (BA 1956) and his wife Loretta made a landmark contribution to the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering, which named the Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in honour of his father. The gift allowed the faculty to establish the Edward S. Rogers Sr. Graduate Scholarships, the Edward S. Rogers Sr. Undergraduate Scholarships, the Edward S. Rogers Sr. Chair in Engineering, the Velma M. Rogers Graham Chair in Engineering, the Rogers AT&T Wireless Communications Laboratories and the Rogers Scholarship Program. As a result of the Rogers family’s contributions, the Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering has grown to become one of the top electrical engineering departments in North America, attracting outstanding students and faculty and producing graduates who go on to prominent careers in engineering, finance, medicine, law and more.

Koffler Scientific Reserve at Jokers Hill – 20th anniversary
In 1995, Dr. Murray (BSc Pharm 1946) and Marvelle Koffler donated their 350-hectare equestrian estate, Jokers Hill, to the University of Toronto and it was established as The Koffler Scientific Reserve at Jokers Hill–an internationally recognized site for cutting-edge research and education in biodiversity, ecology and conservation biology. The gift made the University one of the largest landowners on the Oak Ridges Moraine in King Township—and steward of a site of regional, provincial and national significance.