The University of Guelph is expanding opportunities for the next generation of conservation leaders with the support of a $1-million gift from business leader and philanthropist Martha G. Billes, O.C.
The gift will significantly enhance U of G’s master of conservation leadership (MCL) program, creating more scholarships and travel grants for students, launching a leader-in-residence program, and better integrating MCL with other U of G centres of excellence on campus.
The master of conservation leadership, founded in 2020, is a unique, interdisciplinary program that equips future conservation leaders over two years with the tools needed to innovate and implement strategies to preserve natural habitats, solve environmental challenges and drive meaningful, lasting impact.
Billes has supported the MCL from its outset, contributing to scholarships for students in the program. This latest gift will create six new entrance scholarships and three second-year scholarships, alongside four fellowships for incoming PhD and post-doctoral students.
The gift will also provide 10 travel grants to assist students with attending the field school residency, a hands-on experience in diverse conservation settings across Canada.
Further, it will allow the program to bring a senior conversation leader to U of G to deliver lectures, mentor students and serve as keynote speaker for an annual conservation speakers’ series.
More learning opportunities for future conservation leaders
“This is a major investment in building capacity in the conservation sector and shows that the MCL at U of G continues to be the best place in Canada to pursue studies if you are interested in being an impactful conservation leader,” says Dr. Robin Roth, chair of the Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics, which hosts the MCL.
“I’m particularly grateful for Martha’s support for MCL students and her commitment to helping us grow the program. We are excited for this next phase that Martha’s gift makes possible.”
Billes, a former teacher and current Canadian business icon, is a philanthropist, U of G alumna and the first graduate to be named chancellor of the University, in 2017. She graduated in 1963 from Macdonald Institute, one of U of G’s three founding colleges.
Together with her son, Owen Billes, she beneficially owns and controls a majority of the common shares of Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited, the company founded by her father, A.J. Billes. In 2005, she founded the Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities, and in 2013 U of G awarded her an honorary Doctor of Laws degree.
“I have a deep connection to nature and have been proud to support my alma mater’s work creating a passionate community of experts committed to protecting the environment,” says Billes. “My hope is that this new support will empower future conservation leaders to make a significant impact, preserving the beauty and balance of our natural world.”
This gift will also provide opportunities for cross-pollination with the Honey Bee Research Centre (HBRC) on campus. Students will tour the HBRC to explore how it serves as a model for integrating research, education and business, and develop educational materials that showcase U of G’s groundbreaking work in advancing pollinator science.
“Finding solutions to biodiversity conservation challenges has never been more complex,” says Dr. Rene Van Acker, vice-president, research & innovation (acting president & vice-chancellor). “We are grateful for this gift that will help equip students in this first-in-Canada program to develop the comprehensive knowledge needed to become impactful leaders in the conservation sector.”
Contact:
Dr. Robin Roth
rroth01@uoguelph.ca