Paul Hollingsworth BA’94
Saint Mary’s alumni Paul Hollingsworth BA’94 is giving back to support new students who have experienced the loss of a sibling or parent.
Paul knows well the impact of such grief. He was young student in the Faculty of Arts at Saint Mary’s when his older brother Bryce took his life in 1991.
He credits the support he received from professors and the Saint Mary’s community as integral to helping him move ahead and continue pursuing his degree as he navigated his loss.
Paul went on to graduate and now enjoys a successful career as a well-known reporter for CTV Atlantic and TSN.
Last year, Paul suffered another loss in his family, with the sudden passing of his sister Lauren. Motivated by grief and memories of how the Saint Mary's community supported him 30 years ago, he decided to establish an award which would help future students going through the same thing.
Each year, the Hollingsworth Family Award, valued at $1,000, will be given to a first-year student who has lost a parent or sibling.
On February 1, Paul spoke movingly on-air about his decision to establish the award. The story clearly struck a chord with many in the community; since the award was announced, several donations have been received, including one of $5000. To date, the total donations top $8000, an amount that Hollingworth plans to increase with his own fundraising efforts.
“I love Saint Mary’s,” he said in an interview with CTV writer Alex MacIssac. “So to do this and to put some of the pieces back together from my family’s life and to do it and wrap it around my university, Saint Mary’s, I’m so pleased.”
Give to the Hollingsworth Family Award