Alumnus Donates $500,000 to Boost Mental Health and Wellness Services
Sandy McIntyre in 2022 at the opening of UTS's McIntyre Gymnasium. (Photo courtesy of University of Toronto Schools)
By Tina Adamopoulos
When Sandy McIntyre Vic 7T4 discussed his $500,000 donation to Victoria College with President Rhonda McEwen toward the end of the pandemic, he learned that an important priority was to increase the availability of student mental health and wellness services.
The extra support would be essential to help students adjust and thrive in a post-pandemic world, especially after being physically disconnected from campus life for close to two years of remote learning.
His donation, made in 2022, was earmarked for creating mental health and wellness counselling spaces in the Goldring Student Centre. That work was completed in the summer of 2024 as part of the renovations that brought all student services together in one location, including the Office of the Registrar and Academic Advising, the Office of the Dean of Students and the Victoria College Writing Centre.
A plaque to recognize the generosity of McIntyre’s donation will be mounted on the wall in the new wellness space in the Goldring Student Centre.
“Education goes beyond academics; it’s about nurturing a sense of self and that starts with mental health and wellbeing,” said McIntyre, a member of Victoria University’s Defy Gravity campaign cabinet. “I’m proud to contribute to this new campus space, and to helping students get the support they need in order to have a great student experience while they are at Vic.”
The new spaces for student wellness services on the second floor of the Goldring Student Centre include offices for the associate dean, wellness and community engagement (a new position), and the assistant dean, equity and wellness. There are also lounge areas where students can unwind or study. Personal counsellors, a learning strategist, an accessibility adviser and wellness peers are available. Student interns from Emmanuel College's Master of Psychospiritual Studies, specializing in the Spiritual Care and Psychotherapy degree program, also provide counselling support to Victoria College students.
“Students choose Vic for its robust college experience, including strong academic programs, broad co-curricular activities and a solid social network,” said Kelley Castle, dean of students. “To help students thrive in all of these ways, we now have a huge web of support in one place, to give them a strong and holistic foundation on which they can build.”
McIntyre earned a degree in English and philosophy while he was at Vic and was active on the football team, where he made a strong network of friends. He had a long career in the financial services industry, including as executive vice-chairman and director of Sentry Investments. He retired in 2019 from CI Global Asset Management, where he was a capital markets strategist.
In addition to his gift for the GSC, McIntyre has supported Victoria University’s Annual Fund for almost two decades. Of his $500,000 donation, $25,000 went to the Annual Fund, which supports initiatives such as the Vic One Program, scholarships and maintaining the historic campus.
“Donors like Sandy are rare,” said Louise Yearwood, the executive director of Alumni Affairs & Advancement.
“His awareness of the significance of annual giving and his unwavering and consistent support for Victoria College has created a deep and lasting impact on the university.”