For grads, creating an endowment means creating opportunity

U of A grads and donors Thomas and Patricia Hewitt

Patricia Hewitt firmly believes that her University of Alberta degree was the key that opened the door of opportunity. 

“It’s always been my feeling that where I am today is because of the education I received at the University of Alberta,” says Patricia, ‘70 BSc(MedLabSci), a graduate of the Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) program. “That’s where things started for me. My degree opened a door to so many opportunities in my life and I want to help other young people have the ability to get an education and live a better life.” 

Now Patricia and her husband, Thomas, ‘70 BSc(Hons Chem), are helping future students have the same opportunity by establishing endowments for the programs from which they graduated – MLS for her and chemistry for him. 

Since the MLS endowment was established in 2022, the  program has already seen an impact. The endowment was used in the past year to support student ambassadors and to help promote the program to potential incoming students. Other anticipated uses include supporting wellness initiatives for students and funding student awards and bursaries. 

“Medical Laboratory Science is a very small program and this generous endowment will allow us to continue to go above and beyond for students,” says Lisa Purdy, Associate Professor of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology and former director of the MLS program. “We’re truly honoured to have our grads reach out after all these years to let us know how the program positively affected them and their careers.” 

The endowment was set up to allow flexibility in the way it is used, so it can have a greater impact. With this financial support in the form of discretionary funds, the program lead can respond quickly to new needs that arise in the future.

“We feel extremely grateful to the Hewitts not only for the endowment, but for the thoughtful way the gift is structured,” says Purdy. 

Patricia and Thomas Hewitt both had long and successful careers in the United States and even though the couple now lives in Arizona, they have never forgotten the place where it all began for them – professionally and personally. The pair met in 1968 in an inorganic chemistry lab where students were seated alphabetically: his last name was Hewitt and her maiden name was Hennig. They were married the next year while they were still in university and recently celebrated 55 years of marriage. 

After graduation from their respective programs at the University of Alberta, Thomas went on to earn Masters and PhD Degrees in the United States and worked as the clinical director of a laboratory there. Patricia worked in a chemistry laboratory, later doing clinical trials with a pharmaceutical company. 

Sitting down and planning their estate was a chance to really examine their lives and think about the path that led them to where they are today. They decided to distribute their funds to causes they care about and that have been important in their lives. The U of A was a natural fit. 

“I have had such a blessed and wonderful life,” says Patricia. “It’s my turn to give back now.”