Paul Hand & Vicki Gilliatt Hand
Arts’69, MBA’73 and Arts/PHE’73
Paul Hand, Arts’69, MBA’73, and Vicki Gilliatt Hand, Arts/PHE’73, have always been long-time supporters of many Queen’s initiatives. For example, Vicki and her PHE class support a student mental health program based on the benefits of physical activity. In addition to his Smith School of Business interests, Paul is also a key member of the Red Banner Society (RBS), an alumni committee providing guidance, advice and financial support to Queen’s football.
Over the years, Queen’s football alumni have come together to support the program that shaped their lives. A devoted group led the charge for the new outdoor facilities, ensuring Queen’s varsity and recreational students have the right infrastructure for sport.
Following the Athletics & Recreation Centre (ARC) construction, Paul and Vicki co-chaired the Fields & Stadium (F&S) committee of the Queen’s Initiative Campaign. The F&S fundraising efforts led to the revitalization of Tindall and Nixon Fields and the creation of the Miklas-McCarney Field. The next piece was the new Richardson Stadium, and thanks to alumni support led by Stu and Kim Lang and the Richardson Family, the Stadium was redesigned and rebuilt in 2016. However, a key component remained. The final phase of the Stadium project was the Pavilion. And today, this component is becoming a reality, thanks to alumni like Paul and Vicki.
In Paul’s words, “We have always recognized the importance of investing in our fields and specifically the Stadium. It takes the combination of alumni interest and capacity to help create the necessary facilities.”
The Pavilion’s construction will complete a premier facility for university and community field sports.
As Paul explains, “Once we get through pandemic times, we look forward to getting back to student-athletes playing on the field and fans enjoying the game together.”
“We benefited from the generosity of those who came before us,” says Vicki. “Now we feel strongly about giving back so that we can ensure that today’s students have the opportunities and facilities they need. I hope that when the time comes, they too will continue that long line of support to help those come after them.”
Learn more about the revitalized Richardson Stadium and the Pavilion project.
