Class of 1955 Forestry Alumni Scholarship recipient Colin Macdonald (left) and UNB alumnus Vic Stewart (right)

June 23, 2009
UNB News Release: 09-102
Natasha St. Pierre, Communication Officer (506) 458-7969

Fifty-five grad classes separate Vic Stewart (BScF’55) and Colin Macdonald (BScF’10), but they discovered they had much in common when Stewart presented Macdonald with the first Class of 1955 Forestry Alumni Scholarship.

“We had a lot of similarities in why we got into forestry and the path we took,” explains Mr. Macdonald.

Both have enjoyed the tight-knit nature of the faculty of forestry at the University of New Brunswick, a characteristic that continues for Stewart all these years later.

Stewart and several of his classmates gather every year at a cottage in Deep River, Ont. for a holiday together. During such a reunion five years ago, they decided to create a scholarship to honour their late classmates.

“When we went through the forestry program, two of the professors said they’d never seen a group so close,” recalls Doug Bancroft, another Class of ‘55 alumnus. “Art Hobbs (classmate) suggested creating the scholarship and we just felt it was a good thing to do.”

The small group that started out as 24 graduates has raised over $45,000 to date to provide an annual scholarship of $2,500 to a forestry student entering fourth year. Selection is based on academic achievement and financial need.

As the first beneficiary, Mr. Macdonald feels honoured and lucky.

“It says a lot that after so many years, this group still thinks so highly of the forestry program,” said Mr. Macdonald. “The scholarship makes a big difference financially so I could choose my summer job based on the best career experience instead of the highest pay.”

UNB president John McLaughlin is very pleased with the group’s initiative, but not surprised.

“There’s always been a wonderful camaraderie in the faculty of forestry, said Dr. McLaughlin. “The fact that they’d give back not only to help current students, but also to honour their friends, is a real testament to the lasting impact of that close atmosphere.”

Established in 1785, UNB is one of the oldest public universities in North America. It’s also one of the top five comprehensive universities in Canada, according to Maclean’s magazine. UNB has more than 12,000 students from over 100 countries. As the largest research institution in New Brunswick, UNB conducts 80 per cent of the province’s university research. It has more than 3,500 faculty and staff, and an annual operating budget of more than $163 million. UNB’s two main campuses are located in Fredericton and Saint John, N.B.

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