Board members, students, faculty, staff and alumni all gathered to welcome the newly elected Minister of Advanced Education, the Honourable Brian Wong, and top donors to Saint Mary’s. Over 100 people gathered safely to learn more about two new buildings under construction, the Sobeys Inspiration Hub and The Exchange.
At the heart of the new additions is the Sobeys Inspiration Hub, a 43,000 sq. ft. glass and steel building, that will house the Saint Mary’s Entrepreneurship Centre, the David Sobey Centre for Innovation in Retailing and Services, maker spaces, research and innovation labs, and project studios.
Members of the community spoke proudly about the university’s track record in creating entrepreneurs, many of them current students and recent graduates. Students mingled and took photos with donors including Marsha Sobey. The Sobey family are important donors to the university over several decades; their legacy and ongoing support for the institution was singled out by several speakers including Board Chair Larry Freeman and President Rob Summerby-Murray. Sobeys Incorporated is contributing $5 million, part of the $18 million Sobey Gift to Saint Mary’s from the Sobey family, Sobey Foundation and Sobeys Inc., the largest donation in the university’s history.
George and Dorothy Isaacs, along with Derek Isaacs on Live Stream, attended in recognition of the $2.5 million donation from the estate of Anne and Albert Isaacs DipENG’55. A student gathering space, named the Anne J. and Albert T. Isaacs Commons, is at the center of The Exchange.
The event was emceed by Leah Skerry BComm’09 and Entrepreneur-in-Residence with remarks by Enactus Co-President Kritika Gurung. The new buildings will open in 2023.