One Million Dollar Endowment to provide $40,000 in Annual Scholarships
Last October, Kingswood lost a very special friend when Mrs. Jean Irving went home to be with her Lord. In March, her family presented the university with a cheque for $1,000,000 to establish a scholarship fund to honor the memory of this great woman.
Mrs. Irving and J. K., her husband of 68 years, have long been benefactors of Kingswood University. What began with fine art classes under Professor Randolph Nicholson developed into decades of blessing for Kingswood. Mr. and Mrs. Irving assisted in numerous capital projects and in underwriting several scholarships. In addition, Mrs. Irving personally oversaw the beautification of campus and served for a time on the University Board of Trustees.
The magnificent Saunders-Irving Chapel was made possible through the abundant and gracious generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Irving. This chapel, the site of Mrs. Irving’s funeral, is not only a landmark for Sussex but represents the heart and soul of Kingswood.
Mrs. Irving received many honors during her life, including the Queen’s Jubilee Medal and the Order of New Brunswick. In 2009 Kingswood awarded her the honorary Doctorate of Humanities degree during the first commencement held in the new chapel.
The one million dollar endowment will generate about $40,000 annually for scholarships. The family has determined that the scholarships, to be named after Mrs. Irving, will be given to students from Atlantic Canada. In Mr. Irving’s words, these scholarships “will serve as a perpetual memorial to the values held dear to Mrs. Irving.”
Student Council President, Reint-Jan Rammelaere reacted with gratitude for “the great generosity of the Irving family. These scholarships relieve financial burdens that are all too common amongst college students.”
According to Shelley Vail, Director of Financial Aid for Kingswood, “Mrs. Irving’s legacy will live on through this tremendous gift. It is a very exciting time in the history of Kingswood, and I am looking forward to seeing the blessing this endowment will bring to future generations of students.”
“Mrs. Irving was a godly and gracious woman whose faith was the most valuable thing in her life,” said Kingswood President Steve Lennox. “It’s our firm commitment that those who receive this scholarship in her memory will share Mrs. Irving’s passion to make a lasting impact on the moral and spiritual life of the Church and in the world they’re called to serve.”