Canada's Future Doctors Focus of Multy-Million Dollar Donation To Western

Investing in our future doctors and training our next leaders in health care, education and research is the focus of a landmark donation to The University of Western Ontario. Seymour Schulich, Canadian entrepreneur and philanthropist, has donated $26 million, the largest gift in Western's and the City of London's history. Schulich's transformational gift will provide an unprecedented level of financial support to more than 100 medical students and graduate students in medical sciences every year attending the Schulich School of Medicine at The University of Western Ontario. Sixty medical students, through years one to four, from Ontario and across Canada will receive $20,000 a year to fully support tuition and educational expenses, and 50 graduate students will receive $15,000 a year. Scholarships will begin to be awarded this fall. The donation will also support two Canada Research Chairs (Edith Schulich Vinet Canada Research Chair in Human Genetics and the Dr. Brian W. Gilbert Canada Research Chair in Primary Health Care) and create the Tanna Schulich Chair in Neuroscience & Mental Health. Schulich himself received a $2,000 scholarship to attend McGill University to obtain his MBA. "The most important $2,000 of my life," says Schulich. "The world may be a better place because you help some people achieve a better education and improve health care." Schulich, a 64-year-old Toronto resident, earned his success in business creating Franco-Nevada Mining Corporation Ltd. In 2002, Franco-Nevada merged into Newmont Mining Corporation, the largest gold mining company in the world. Today, Schulich is Director of this company and Chairman of the merchant banking division, Newmont Capital Limited. "Seymour Schulich is an extraordinary Canadian philanthropist, with a rare combination of leadership, vision and dedication," says Paul Davenport, Western's President. "This unprecedented donation to the University will make a difference in the lives of students, staff and faculty and Canada's health care system for many years to come." "We are thrilled and honoured that Seymour Schulich has chosen our School for this generous donation," says Carol Herbert, Dean of the Schulich School of Medicine. "The gift is truly transformational. It's about making it possible for people to be successful, providing access for medical students, access for graduate students, support for research and it will allow us to help form the medical care system of the future." For the last 20 years, Schulich has donated millions of dollars to universities and health care centres across North America. Some of his benefactions include the Schulich School of Business at York University and the Schulich Heart Centre at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto, the Schulich Library of Engineering and Science at McGill University, as well as numerous scholarships across Canada, including Western. In recognition of today's gift, the School of Medicine at Western will be renamed in Schulich's honour, pending Senate approval. "A gift of this magnitude is the key to a diverse physician population able to respond to the needs of a diverse society," says Lisa D'Alessandro, President of Western's student Hippocratic Council. "It will encourage students of every background who share the same love of medicine and desire to help others to pursue a career in medicine and work towards improving the future of healthcare." Schulich's gift will leverage $25 million in matching funds from the provincial government through the Ontario Student Opportunity Trust Fund, the Ontario Graduate Scholarship Program and from the federal government's Canada Research Chairs program, bringing the total impact of this extraordinary donation to more than $50 million. The University is also involved in a $38-million renovation of its medical and dental facilities that will help attract future students and faculty. It has set an ambitious fundraising target to raise $17.8 million in additional private donations over the next 10 years to further expand the number of scholarships and awards available to medical students. Western's School of Medicine was founded in 1882. It has approximately 500 medical students, 525 postgraduate students, 425 graduate students, and more than 4,440 alumni. There are more than 1,300 faculty members in 21 clinical and basic research departments. Over the last four years, it has successfully doubled its research dollars, recruited scientists and clinical academic leaders, increased medical student enrolment by 37 per cent, and developed the Southwestern Ontario Medical Education Network, in partnership with Windsor, Ontario and surrounding rural communities, making rural and regional education a top priority. For more information, please contact: Ted Garrard Vice-President (External) (519) 661-3858 Alison Liversage Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry (519) 777-9996 (cell) (519) 661-2111, ext. 86415 (office) Marcia Steyaert Communications & Public Affairs (519) 661-6883 (cell) (519) 661-2111, ext. 85468 (office)