The donor: Stephen Stohn
The gift: $1-million
The cause: Trent University
The reason: To help build a new students' centre
When Stephen Stohn attended Trent University in the 1960s, the university had just opened.
Mr. Stohn, who graduated in 1969 and went on to a career in the entertainment industry, had a chance to start the school paper, called Arthur, and establish a campus radio station.
"The things I did inside the classroom and outside the classroom set me on my career," said Mr. Stohn who heads Toronto-based Epitome Pictures Inc., and created several successful television series, such as Degrassi, with his wife Linda Schyuler.
Mr. Stohn has remained connected to Trent and donated money over the years. But last year he heard about plans for a $15-million students' centre. Most of the funding is coming from a new student fee, but the total amount still fell short. So Mr. Stohn has donated $1-million to help see the project through. Construction will begin in January and the centre is to open in September, 2017.
"This was truly in the spirit of giving back because Trent has been formative to me," Mr. Stohn said.