Volume 32, Number 1
Celebrating Humanities - David Beattie '68

trentmagazine.ca contents

Home

Editorial

Association President's Message

Letters to the Editor

President's Page

From Philosophy to Finance

Course profile - Travel Studies

Alumni Back on Campus

Campus Alumni profile - Sara Posen '88

The Penn Classic

Celebrating Humanities - David Beattie '68

Professor Janet Bews 1938-2000

So Much to Do - Life in Bosnia

Profile of a Volunteer - Kate Ramsay '71

Athletes and Scholars

Sunshine Sketches

In Memoriam

Bob Annett Award

 

 

by Maureen Wideman '93

Can studying philosophy lead to a happy life and successful career? For Trent graduate David Beattie '68, philosophy played a significant role in his life and he acknowledged that contribution with a donation to Trent's philosophy department earlier this year.

David, Deputy Director at Canada's SchoolNet, donated $25,000 to create the Marys' Fund, a scholarship for third-year philosophy students, and to establish the Cockalorum Fund, to assist and promote philosophy-based special events.

"Humanities are still important today and it is worth celebrating excellence in this discipline," explained David. "Philosophers have a great deal to say and to contribute to our understanding of what is going on in the world today, whether it is genetic engineering, reproductive technologies, political developments or the changing standards of our society which are then reflected in our institutions. There is a role for philosophers."

Working with Trent's advancement office and with the Philosophy Chair Christine McKinnon, David was able to ensure that his contribution reflected his priorities as well as those of the department.

"We were thrilled with the news," said Christine. "We were very pleased when someone supports the humanities which are generally underfunded. It means a lot to our department and to our students and enables us to do more with them and for them."

The Marys' Fund Scholarship will be awarded each year to an outstanding student entering his/her honours year in philosophy. The scholarship memorializes the two special Marys in David's life: his late mother Mary Margaret and his late wife Mary Marjorie.

David said his mother always wanted him to graduate from a business program, but in his second year at Trent, David decided that philosophy was his passion. His mother gracefully accepted the change and gave him her full support.

According to David, one of the reasons his wife fell in love with him was because he was a philosopher. "She enjoyed my philosopher's view of life, my tendency to look at issues with some care", he said; "and also that I made great omelets".

The Cockalorum Fund (named after Kierkegaard's spoof of a Hegel theory, and with a touch of self-deprecation) was established to assist with after-class discussions and events.

"Philosophy is about dialogue and discourse," said David, "and it is important to get groups of people together outside the classroom, where there is no implicit grading going on, to talk about philosophy. It requires the time and energy of staff and students, and sometimes, it requires a little money. I wanted to help with that."

David hopes his donation will encourage other alumni to follow. "People of my vintage are now at a time in their earning cycle when larger donations are perhaps more possible than those alumni just starting out. It is an opportunity to support, not only the alumni fund, but also the discipline that they studied and that contributed to their lives in some way. Yes, the Trent experience has been important, but if you have graduated from history or chemistry, perhaps supporting your discipline is also a possibility. "

He encourages alumni to talk to department chairs to determine how best those funds can be used.

As David stated, "studying the arts does help develop skills, such as critical thinking, analysis, reasoning and research, that are of great use in society, not just professionally but in human relationships as well," he said. "I hope these two funds will encourage others to support the humanities and social sciences at Trent."


 Go to Trent Magazine  Go to Alumni Home  Go to Trent Home

This page is maintained by the Trent University Alumni Association.