There’s been another large gift from the family of Jeannine Deveau. Almost nine years ago, Deveau, who graduated from St. FX in 1944 gave $8 million to alleviate the financial burdens of First Nations and African Nova Scotian students. Deveau died in 2022, just shy of her 99th birthday.
Now, Deveau’s family is contributing an additional $14.5 million. The two gifts total more than $22 million; the largest contribution by any St. FX alumna or alumnus.
(l-r) Student Mya Slawter, Bill Gunn, Jeanine Gunn, Dr. Andy Hakin, Dr. Jonathan Hood, and Dr. Martha Fanjoy. (St. FX University photo)
St. FX President Andy Hakin says part of the money will be used to create the Deveau Centre for Indigenous Governance and Social Justice.
Hakin says the contribution will also allow the university to match another gift, from the McCall MacBain Foundation to create a Black Student Success Centre. It will provide full funding for the centre’s first four years, providing Afrocentric spaces and programing that remove the barriers of social isolation and anxiety as well as academic and financial stress.