Giving choices and opportunities
Andrew Brenton (’80) and Kerry Wood want to make a difference in the lives of Maritime youth. In 2015, the couple gave their first gift toward the Brenton Wood Scholarship at Mount Allison and, over the last decade, they have continued to donate and ensure the long-term impact of their award.
“The scholarship played a role in my choice to come to Mount Allison,” says Logan Pipes (’24). “It meant I didn’t have to worry about money, that I could focus on school and opportunities for my growth like working as a TA and residence assistant. The scholarship helped me make the most of my time at Mount A and I am extremely thankful to Andrew and Kerry.”
The Brenton Wood Scholarship provides $10,000 annually and is renewable for four years. The couple have been so pleased with the award’s impact that they have made an additional gift to Mount Allison so that two Brenton Wood Scholarships will be awarded each year.
Students are selected for their academic potential and financial need. Entrance scholarships like this one often require students to maintain a high GPA throughout their time at university, but the couple didn’t want to have this requirement.
“We have our own children and see how incredibly stressful it can be to make your way in the world today as a young person,” says Wood. “The last thing I wanted was for someone to feel like they couldn’t make a mistake. We want students to have the freedom to experiment with different courses and career paths.”
The flexibility Mount Allison provides students in discovering and exploring their interests is something that appealed to the couple. It is also Brenton’s own experience. On paper he has a Bachelor of Science in chemistry but tells people what he received at Mount Allison was a classic liberal arts education. He remembers well that by his final year he had combined his science classes with courses in philosophy, finance, and Shakespeare.
“I don’t believe I would have been able to do that at another university,” says Brenton. “We want students to be able to go to this great school that may actually change their life.”
Wood and Brenton value philanthropy that provides young people from Maritime small towns with choices and opportunities. They hope their donations give students and their parents the chance to consider university as an option and believe that having the chance to go and learn more about the world means young people can contribute more to their home communities.
“It was a huge financial help,” says Matthew Dupuis (’23). “I’m now in a PhD program at Virginia Tech doing work in medicinal chemistry and thanks in large part to the Brenton Wood Scholarship I have been able to make it through my education without racking up a bunch of debt.”
Brenton Wood Scholarship recipients have been able to meet the donors and share stories of Mount Allison.
“We continue to keep in touch,” says Dupuis. “Every so often, I send Andrew and Kerry an email update about how things are going, and they have sent me nice messages. They always seem interested and engaged with what I am doing and I think it’s cool to have that connection. If I am ever in a position where I could donate some money, I think I would want to support Mount Allison like they did.”
Banner photo caption: Logan Pipes (’24), Andrew Brenton (’80), Kerry Wood, and Matthew Dupuis (’23) meet for lunch at Mount Allison in 2022
Investing in student financial aid is a fundraising priority at Mount Allison. When donors establish new student awards and support existing financial aid programs, they help foster the next generation of leaders and make the Mount Allison education available to all students, regardless of financial constraints. Learn more about how to give and the impact of philanthropy at: mta.ca/giving