Jeannine Deveau Achievement Fund gifts $200K to support African Nova Scotian students at NSCC
Supporting African Nova Scotian students at NSCC
During an NSCC event celebrating the legacy of Archy Beals, Bill Gunn, on behalf of the Jeannine Deveau Achievement Fund, announced that the Achievement Fund is generously gifting $200,000 to the Archy Beals Legacy Award to support African Nova Scotian students attending NSCC. Additionally, they agreed to match up to an additional $400,000 in donations towards the award over the next few years.
"The Archy Beals Legacy Award is an excellent recipient for the Jeannine Deveau Achievement Fund. Jeannine's wishes were to make education more accessible for equity-deserving students and close the gap," said Bill Gunn. "We're proud to support African Nova Scotian students attending NSCC through this award and encourage others to join us along the way."
About Jeannine Deveau
Jeannine Deveau dedicated her financial success from investing throughout her life to help close the gap for African Nova Scotian and Indigenous students pursuing post-secondary education. Growing up, Jeannine played and shared meals with African Nova Scotian and Indigenous children in Arichat who accompanied their parents when they came to town for work. While enjoying her time with these friends, she did not understand why they did not attend school and had fewer opportunities than her.
The value of education
Education was important in her family, so she continued to post-secondary education, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree from Saint Francis Xavier University and a master's degree in Nutrition from the University of Toronto. Her schooling led her to a career spanning over 30 years with the Faculty of Medicine at Université de Montréal as a Nutrition Professor.
Her path to philanthropy
In her later years, she read about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Nova Scotia Home for Coloured Children. She was shocked by the inhumane treatment towards African Nova Scotian and Indigenous children. After learning about what they faced and how they were systemically held back from the same opportunities she had growing up, she knew she had to do something.
She urged her nephew-in-law, Bill Gunn, to use her money to close the gap and provide greater access to education for students of African Nova Scotian and Indigenous descent. Today, her philanthropic vision has supported awards at various post-secondary institutions to achieve this goal.
Double your impact
By donating to the Archy Beals Legacy Award, the Jeannine Deveau Achievement Fund will match your donation to double your support.