The deep, special bond that existed between the couple of 39 years, as well as the deep commitment they shared towards family, friends and the Indigenous community, was a significant motivator in their discussions about wishing to commit to a future gift in their estate plans.
They saw that not as many scholarships were available for graduate students nearing completion of their studies as for undergraduate students starting their programs. As Indigenous education was also extremely important to them, they created a scholarship fund with this purpose. After numerous meetings with the Planned Giving team, they decided to set up the scholarship with the University of Ottawa.
They established the Migize – Kikinoomaagan Minaajidwin scholarship in 2021, which supports University of Ottawa graduate or MD students who are members of the Anishinabek First Nations and Algonquin communities. “Our wish was for this scholarship to reduce financial stress, to help students get over the line and allow recipients to focus on completing their studies,” says Gary.
The name of the scholarship is quite meaningful and took some time for the couple to come up with, after consulting with elders and others who helped with the interpretation. It could be translated as “eagle award recognizing someone for their scholarly pursuits,” Gary explains. “In Ojibwe, migize means ‘eagle’” (which represents his clan, Migize Dodem), he adds.
Originally from the Dokis First Nation community near Lake Nipissing and Sudbury, Gary has worked extensively with Indigenous communities and organizations, has served as a volunteer on several boards and is now chief administrative officer with Nishnawbe Aski Nation in Thunder Bay. Mona-Lisa, who was a dedicated teacher for 27 years, didn’t directly work in Indigenous communities, but her husband stresses that education was very important to her. As an educator, Mona-Lisa was the driving force in creating this scholarship and she supported Indigenous culture and teachings during her teaching career.
Mona-Lisa passed away in 2024, before she could meet the first recipient of her scholarship. This Migize – Kikinoomaagan Minaajidwin award will continue to serve as a lasting legacy to honour the couple’s values, but also to acknowledge their lasting commitment to the Indigenous community, culture and education.
Many University of Ottawa alumni have included a gift to the University and its students in their estate plans. It’s important to inform the University of your intentions, so that our planned giving team can validate the designation of your future gift with you. To learn more about this type of philanthropic project, email us at [email protected].