Queen’s University will be able to provide renewed support for its new STEM: Indigenous Academics (STEM:InA) program, thanks to a $1 million endowment established by alumnus Norman Loveland BSc’65 (Civil),  JD (University of Toronto) and his wife, Gay Loveland, MEd (University of Toronto).

The Lovelands decided to support STEM:InA, an academic support and community-building program for Indigenous students enrolled in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) -based undergraduate degree programs through the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science at Queen’s. The program will build on the success of the Aboriginal Access to Engineering program that their endowed gift continues to support.

“This endowment from the Lovelands will truly help us create a strong and successful community of Indigenous STEM students here at Queen’s,” says Karen Bertrand, Vice-Principal, Advancement. “This initiative provides Indigenous students with the social and academic foundation they need to thrive and make a positive impact on the world, and this endowment makes that possible.”

The Lovelands are long-time champions of Queen’s engineering programs and have previously funded endowments that continue to provide: awards for Civil Engineering students based on financial need and achievement;  support for the Aboriginal Access to Engineering (AAE) program, a faculty initiative designed to make engineering education accessible and inclusive to Indigenous youth;  and funding for the Norman and Gay Loveland Civil Engineering Fund, which supports the Department of Civil Engineering to further its relations with its varied stakeholders: staff, graduate and undergraduate students, alumni, government, industry partners and friends.

“We are very proud of our connection to Queen’s and its ongoing commitment to Indigenous students,” Norman Loveland says. “Gay and I hope that our support of the Engineering portion of the program might inspire further philanthropic support to it, and to the other faculties involved, notably Arts and Science and Health Sciences.”

STEM:InA aims to create a strong and successful community of Indigenous STEM students at Queen’s through services, programming, and events. STEM:InA also works to alleviate the isolation felt by many Indigenous STEM students by building a distinct Indigenous STEM community.