$500,000 Donation Continues Duffy Family Legacy
In 1963, Kinkora native Dr. St. Clair Duffy made a substantial leadership gift to UPEI to help construct a new science centre on the campus. Dr. Duffy was an alumnus of St. Dunstan's University (SDU'20). He obtained an MD from McGill Medical School in 1926 and an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from St. Dunstan's in 1963. His valuable legacy to generations of PEI science students continues over four decades later, through the commitment of his widow, Margaret Duffy. Mrs. Duffy, who lives in Montreal, has donated $500,000 to the UPEI Building a Legacy Campaign to assist with the costs of a complete refurbishment of the Duffy Science Centre that began last year.
"We are very appreciative of Mrs. Margaret Duffy's support, and of that of her late husband," says UPEI President Wade MacLauchlan. "As UPEI continues to grow and develop, it is very impressive to see the extent to which our provincial university is being built through the success and generosity of our own people across the generations."
The revitalized Duffy Science Centre provides undergraduate and graduate students with first-class learning facilities and enables faculty and students in the Biology and Physics departments to carry out their research programs in modern laboratories. A computer-operated greenhouse has also been added for propagating wild roses as part of the University's regional research on the health benefits of naturally-occurring compounds.
When the Duffy building officially opened in May 1967, Dr. St. Clair Duffy's leadership gift was acknowledged by a special plaque. When the refurbished Duffy Science Centre officially opens in the spring of 2006, a new plaque will re-dedicate the building to both Dr. St. Clair Duffy and Mrs. Margaret Duffy to acknowledge the ongoing generosity and support of the Duffy family.
After Dr. St. Clair Duffy graduated from St. Dunstan's University and McGill Medical School he went on to build a successful career as a surgeon. He spent three years interning at Montreal General Hospital before joining the surgery department of St. Mary's Hospital, Montreal where he worked until his retirement in 1961. Throughout his career, he remained involved in the well-being of St. Dunstan's and he was often quoted as saying he wanted to give back to the institution that had given so much to him. In his words he "could never do enough for St. Dunstan's." Now his widow, Margaret Duffy, is continuing his legacy of giving at the University of Prince Edward Island.
The Building a Legacy Campaign aims to raise $50 million through private donations to UPEI. More information is available at http://www.upei.ca/legacy/.
