Queen’s University has received a $25-million endowed gift that will help generations of undergraduate students.
The anonymous gift from a Queen’s alum is the largest single contribution to student financial aid in Queen’s history. It establishes the new Ann Baker Tuition Award for incoming undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need. The first recipients received support this fall.
The award is renewable for up to three additional years, giving recipients greater financial stability throughout their degree. Because the gift is endowed, it will continue supporting Queen’s students for generations.
Each award is worth between $10,000 and $18,000 per year, with 11 to 21 new students expected to receive it annually. The award has a particular focus on supporting students from Eastern Ontario.
Queen’s Principal and Vice-Chancellor Patrick Deane says the university has been preparing leaders for nearly 200 years, and attracting outstanding students with different perspectives, talents, and ambitions is central to that tradition. This gift helps ensure finances don’t prevent those students from choosing Queen’s.
“We’re incredibly grateful for this extraordinary act of generosity,” Deane says. “Remarkable students want to come to Queen’s, and for some, finances can be the deciding factor in whether they’re able to say yes. Gifts like this help change that. And once those students are here, we want them to have every opportunity to learn, get involved, build connections, and discover what they’re capable of.”
The gift was made through the donor’s multigenerational family foundation. The donor says their Queen’s education opened doors for them, and they remember the financial challenges they faced as a student and wanted to make that path easier for others.
The gift builds on the family’s long history of quietly supporting students, faculty, and staff across Queen’s.
The award’s renewable support is especially meaningful. Knowing that funding will continue throughout their degree gives students greater freedom to focus on everything they came to Queen’s to do.
“Financial pressure can affect every part of the student experience – from the time someone can devote to their studies to whether they can join a club, take part in research, or simply feel fully present in campus life,” says Corinna Fitzgerald, Vice-Provost, Student Affairs. “This award gives students greater stability and peace of mind, allowing them to make the most of their time at Queen’s and become the leaders and humans they came here to be.”
