Haskayne receives gift of $2 million to support student learning and leadership in the new Mathison Hall

Calgary, AB – At the heart of the new Mathison Hall will be a unique space – a circular 84-person room that reimagines the classroom experience – to bring people together for important discussions, lessons and gatherings.
 
Today, the University of Calgary is proud to announce it has received a $2 million gift from Mac and Susan Van Wielingen, through Viewpoint Foundation, in support of the Haskayne Capital Expansion Project and the construction of Mathison Hall. 

In recognition of their gift, the striking round room will be named the Viewpoint Circle for Dialogue. An architecturally stunning space, the room floats in the centre of the new Mathison Hall and will become an instantly recognizable destination for its circular design that brings its occupants together like no other indoor environment can. It will be in high demand as a classroom, governance meeting room and gathering space.

Investment management executive and philanthropist Mac Van Wielingen said the gift will support ethical leadership and organizational effectiveness.

“We see leadership ethics and effectiveness as critical fundamentals for organizational and institutional success. Ethical leadership requires the receiving, holding and exploring of multiple and often opposing perspectives. The circular design of the room captures the spirit of intention to hear and comprehend perspectives from diverse backgrounds and different positions. This design will help participants to reach new understanding, to have higher levels of trust, and to support a higher probability of successful decisions and effective actions,” said Van Wielingen.

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"Our hope is that this space will contribute to more inspired and cooperative dialogue to create insight and knowledge critical to education and to the discovery of pathways and solutions to complex community and societal challenges.”

-Mac Van Wielingen, investment management executive and philanthropist

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Mathison Hall is currently under construction adjacent to Scurfield Hall and will open in late 2022 as the second building for the Haskayne School of Business. The student-centered learning environment will feature 12 classrooms and multiple spaces for students to learn, meet and work – all of which are critical in supporting the growth of the school’s programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

The Viewpoint Circle for Dialogue will be about promoting diversity, inclusion and equity. It has ventilation to allow for Indigenous smudging ceremonies and was designed to be transparent, flexible and open for many uses. 

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"Business needs diverse voices around the table in order to have robust and healthy discussions, and the Viewpoint Circle for Dialogue will be an integral part of Mathison Hall for our students and for the business community.”

-Jim Dewald, dean, Haskayne School of Business

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In 2012, after the financial collapse and the lack of ethical leadership that created the crisis in the first place, Viewpoint Foundation made a generous gift to the university to create the Canadian Centre for Advanced Leadership in Business. The foundation has given more than $7 million to the University of Calgary, and inspired other Calgary business leaders to give another $10 million to support mentorship, adventure education and leadership initiatives at Haskayne.

“The legacy of Viewpoint Foundation and the Van Wielingen family will be long-lasting and impactful,” said Dewald. “Mac and Susan have been incredible supporters of the Haskayne School of Business through the years, and I am awed by their continual support, inspired by their vision, and more than anything, I am so very thankful to them for supporting our students today and for generations to come.”

The $2 million gift announced today contributes to the $40 million fundraising goal for the Haskayne Capital Expansion Project. Having raised over $28.5 million to date, the school is seeking another $11.5 million of philanthropic support to achieve our goal for the $90 million Mathison Hall.

The money raised for the capital expansion project is part of Energize: The Campaign for Eyes High, UCalgary’s transformative fundraising initiative. Fueled by the generosity of UCalgary’s friends and supporters, we are igniting discovery, creativity and innovation to make lasting positive change at the University of Calgary, in our city and beyond

Want to learn more? Visit our website.  

Media inquiries

Karen Perl-Pollard
Senior Communications Strategist
Haskayne School of Business
403-620-7260
karen.perl.pollard@haskayne.ucalgary.ca  

About the University of Calgary

The University of Calgary is a global intellectual hub located in Canada’s most enterprising city. In our spirited, high-quality learning environment, students thrive in programs made rich by research, hands-on experiences and entrepreneurial thinking. Our strategy drives us to be recognized as one of Canada’s top five research universities, engaging the communities we both serve and lead. This strategy is called Eyes High, inspired by the university's Gaelic motto, which translates as 'I will lift up my eyes.' For more information, visit ucalgary.ca/eyeshigh.

For more information, visit ucalgary.ca. Stay up to date with University of Calgary news headlines on Twitter @UCalgary. For details on faculties and how to reach experts go to our media center at ucalgary.ca/newsroom.

About the Haskayne School of Business

The Haskayne School of Business was founded at the University of Calgary in 1967, and was named in honour of Richard F. Haskayne, OC, AOE, FCA, in 2002. The business school has approximately 4,000 full- and part-time students enrolled in bachelor's, master's, doctorate and executive education programs, and stays connected with its more than 26,000 alumni in 90 countries worldwide. Haskayne is where big ideas come to life and bold leaders thrive. Our mission is to create innovative research, unparalleled learning opportunities and meaningful engagement with our community.

For more information, visit haskayne.ucalgary.ca or follow on Twitter @HaskayneSchool.