Leslie and Irene Dubé donate $1-million to St. Thomas More College

In recognition of this gift, and in honour of their sustained generous support of the College over the years, STM will dedicate the Chair in their name as the Leslie and Irene Dubé Chair for Catholic Studies at St. Thomas More College.

The Leslie and Irene Dubé Chair for Catholic Studies will support scholarship in the area of Catholic Studies, broadly defined to include early, classical and contemporary iterations of Catholic teaching and tradition. Through exemplary teaching and reputable research, the Chair will foster the advancement of Catholic knowledge and education, promote ecumenical dialogue and advance awareness of the great faith traditions.

The Chair is to be a source of intellectual leadership for STM and for the broader Catholic and local communities through an annual public lecture, guest lectures, invited presentations, availability to the Diocese, Catholic school boards and the Catholic and secular media for commentary and expertise on Catholic issues, and publications to be available to the local and provincial community.

"STM is near and dear to our hearts," said Irene Dubé. "We are strong believers in the importance of a College that encourages students to explore both faith and reason, and the Chair in Catholic Studies will be a vital contributor to this environment."

STM President Dr. Terry Downey thanked the Dubés for their remarkably generous commitment that enables the establishment of the first Chair for Catholic Studies in Saskatchewan and only the second in the history of western Canada. In expressing appreciation on behalf of the STM scholarly community, Downey acknowledged the Dubés exemplary commitment and innovative leadership in advancing Catholic higher education: "Your support of this Chair makes possible a uniquely transformative learning experience for our students that will resonate through their lives and throughout the entire community. The confidence you have shown in STM by your generosity here today is an inspiration for all who serve and study at STM and for this we are profoundly grateful."

This new $1 million donation gift complements an earlier $1 million Dubé project at STM, the Leslie and Irene Dubé Service Learning Program that enables students to take what is learned in the classroom out into the world.

The $6 million Creating More campaign was launched earlier this year to raise funds to expand STM's existing building and create the endowed Chair in Catholic