The ripple effect of philanthropy

As namesake of the Haskayne School of Business, Dick Haskayne's impact at the University of Calgary is truly immeasurable, changing lives well beyond those he’s directly supported and inspiring the next generation of business leaders to give back, to embrace kindness and integrity, and to invest in their communities.

Emily Chen

Dick Haskayne, Hon. LLD'97, makes a point to attend the business school’s convocation ceremony each year, but 2023’s was extra-special, with the very first Richard and Lois Haskayne Legacy Scholar crossing the stage. And Emily Chen, today an investment banking analyst with CIBC, is now paying it forward to the next generation.

“What makes the Haskayne School of Business so strong is its relationship with downtown Calgary and a strong alumni network. I was able to make great connections,” says Chen, BComm’23, who won gold twice in the esteemed Inter-Collegiate Business Competition during her time at UCalgary. “I really benefited from that, so I try to stay involved and take opportunities to chat with today’s students. I always make sure to prioritize that.”

Chen also strives to emulate Haskayne’s values. “He’s created a culture of generosity with his philanthropy and involvement in the community, and just how present he is with the scholars,” she says.

“He gave me a lot of opportunities that helped shape the person I am today. I hope to give back to the university and have that kind of impact one day.”

Mark Blackwell

When Haskayne asked Calgarian Mark Blackwell years ago why he would go out east for business school, the high-achieving then-teenager didn’t have a good answer. So, Haskayne gave him a great reason to stay.

“It turned out to be the best decision of my life,” says Blackwell, BComm’11. The alum is a tech and innovation success story, here at home and in Silicon Valley, and remains closely involved with his alma mater, becoming a donor shortly after graduation, serving in multiple volunteer roles — he currently sits on the Board of Governors — and helping run the university endowment.

“I realized how much I had gotten from the university — a lot of it because of the donations of Dick Haskayne and others — and decided to give back with my time and money.”

And Blackwell isn’t alone. “Dick has been a lifelong mentor to almost every CEO in downtown Calgary, and you’d never know it because he’s such a down-to-earth person,” he says. “There’s this idea that you have to be gritty and cutthroat to get ahead, but Dick shows otherwise. We need more people like that who are willing to give back without asking for anything in return.”

Declan Sander

Current Richard and Lois Haskayne Legacy Scholar Declan Sander, who is set to graduate in 2025, was drawn to UCalgary by its reputation as Canada’s entrepreneurial university, which offered the perfect conditions to start his own non-profit venture. 

Earlier this year, Sander was the runner-up in the RBC Fast Pitch Competition with Birchbark Health, a revolutionary virtual care platform for Indigenous communities. “What’s so amazing about this project and why we’ve been able to make a big impact is the people and team we’ve been able to develop here,” he says. 

That team includes a renowned Indigenous physician and a former Bluetooth chairperson. Receiving the prestige scholarship opened doors for Sander to make those connections. 

“Mr. Haskayne’s investment in me has made me more proud of my Alberta roots and has made me more confident with the decisions that I've made and I am making,” says Sander, who has also drawn inspiration from Haskayne’s book, Northern Tigers. “It allows me to really pursue what I'm passionate about.”

Ron Mathison

“The most important reason that Mathison Hall came about was a friendship that literally lasted a lifetime. I very much wanted to honour the common bond that Dick Haskayne and my father, Ken Mathison, shared over so many years,” says Ron Mathison, the man behind the school’s stunning new building that ushered in a new era of business education in Calgary.

Ron, a Calgary business leader and philanthropist, made a $20-million gift in 2018 to spearhead the Mathison Hall project. Yet the seeds of this initiative were planted much earlier. While growing up, the families of Dick Haskayne and Ken Mathison lived next door to one another in the hamlet of Gleichen, Alta. As a young man, Ron’s father even worked in the Haskayne family’s butcher shop.

In the years that followed, both Haskayne and Ken remained close friends, sharing a deep-abiding belief in a set of values that place honesty, hard work, integrity and ethics at its core.

“These ideals are well-embedded in the curriculum here at the Haskayne School of Business and the very spirit of the school,” said Ron at the opening of the building in 2023.

“There were a number of reasons for me to support the Haskayne School, but that lifelong friendship with Dick Haskayne was foremost in my mind. And that warm friendship has continued on through me, which makes me extraordinarily proud and very happy.”

Mark Anderson

When Dr. Mark Anderson, PhD, considered an offer to join the Haskayne School of Business faculty, one of his concerns was access to services and education for his daughter, Hannah, who had autism, Down syndrome and epilepsy. And it was one of his first meetings with Dick Haskayne that made the decision an easy one.

“As it turned out, Mr. Haskayne was on the board of the Sinneave Foundation (which supports autistic children and adults), and he invited the foundation’s director, Dr. Margaret Clark, to meet with my family in his downtown office,” says Anderson. “Dr. Clarke, a pediatrician who specializes in Down syndrome, shared everything that would be available, and Hannah just fell in love with her.”

When they left the meeting, Anderson recalls Haskayne quipping, “You know, we’ve done a lot of things in this boardroom, but never anything like we’ve done today.”

The accounting professor, who is well-respected by students and colleagues alike, holds the Richard F. Haskayne Chair in Accounting. “It’s a privilege to have that name associated with me and my work,” Anderson says. “There’s a trust that’s given when you put your name on a chair, and I want to honour that trust and his values.”

Taro Lakra

“I felt like I had found my place,” says Taro Lakra, recalling the moment he learned he would receive the Richard and Lois Haskayne Legacy Scholarship. 

And when the now-third-year student looks back at some of his proudest post-secondary moments thus far, it’s activities outside of the classroom that first jump to mind: taking first place in the Inter-Collegiate Business Competition earlier this year, managing a portfolio worth nearly $1 million with the Calgary Portfolio Management Trust program, and, just this month, placing as a finalist in the McGill International Portfolio Challenge.

Without the prestigious full-ride scholarship, he might not have been able to take advantage of such opportunities.

“Not only am I grateful for the financial component, but the scholarship has also given me opportunities to really focus on my professional development,” Lakra says.

“It’s motivated me to do more than I thought I could. And hopefully once I’m done my four years of school, I can look back and say that I did the scholarship justice.”

Mike Tims

Mike Tims’ relationship with UCalgary goes back more than 50 years, from his days as an undergraduate student, through teaching finance at the business school, to serving on multiple university councils and affiliates, to throwing his philanthropic energy behind many initiatives. Almost as long is his relationship with Dick Haskayne, in fact. Tims developed a direct friendship with Haskayne through business but, like Mathison, Haskayne was also a friend of Tims’ own father.

“There’s this stereotype that people who do really well in business are tough and commanding, and Dick is the reverse of that,” says Tims, BComm’76, Hon. LLD’09. “He’s a very kind, gentle, personable man. He always puts the emphasis on doing the right thing.”

When approached to join the Mathison Hall Steering Committee — one of Tims’ many volunteer roles with the university — it was an easy yes. Like Haskayne, he’s a big believer in the business school and UCalgary.

“I’m especially grateful for the running start that UCalgary gave me,” he says.

“And I believe that it is important to support and cultivate the university in the city where you live. That is a benefit to many, but especially for the students.”

Ayca Haskoylu

Staying in Calgary for university was never the plan for Ayca Haskoylu. But that was before she found a unique program that perfectly fit her interests, and before she received a life-changing call.

“There’s a video of me jumping up and down,” she says with a laugh, recalling the moment she learned she’d received the Richard and Lois Haskayne Legacy Scholarship. “And that eventually turned to tears. Because this award literally changed my life.”

The now second-year student is pursuing her dream degree — dual-degree, rather, with the Bachelor of Science in Engineering and Bachelor of Commerce program — plus extracurriculars. She’s particularly proud of participating in the JDC West business case competition and of her work with the Women in Science and Engineering Club (WISE). 

“I organized the largest outreach event WISE has ever staged,” says Haskoylu. “It promotes inclusivity and diversity in STEM. We had more than 400 young girls attend.” 

The full-ride scholarship puts enriching activities like these within reach for scholars. “I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the Haskayne family,” she says. “I wish there were more people like them in the world.”

Matias Totz

Having grown up in Victoria, B.C., Matias Totz was often asked why he chose UCalgary rather than studying locally. And, while his hometown is indeed picturesque, the energy of Calgary couldn’t be matched. 

“When you look at Calgary as a city, there’s so much innovation. It’s such a great place for young professionals,” says Totz, BComm’24, a Richard and Lois Haskayne Legacy Scholarship alum. “And it was exciting to be part of the relatively new business analytics program, at a school with top profs and the latest technologies.”

Currently working as an application analyst with Alberta Energy Regulator by day and earning his master’s in data science and analytics by night, Totz was inspired by Haskayne’s generosity — and is already looking ahead. 

“I just try to make a positive impact every day and represent the same values as the Haskayne family. I’m hoping to be a position to give to the university myself,” he says, before adding with a laugh, “I’m putting that out there now, so you can hit me up in 20 years.”

Hal Kvisle

Hal Kvisle completed his MBA at UCalgary while working full time, which was a tall order, but the combination of the two meant he was gaining real-world experience alongside his education.

“It was so good for me, and I thought, how can we give today’s students, who may not have access to hands-on operating experience, the same opportunity?” says Kvisle, MBA’82, Hon. LLD’19. 

The Haskayne Adventure Leadership program was the answer and, in 2016, Kvisle made a $3-million gift supporting nature-based and experiential learning, wilderness solos and expeditions, leadership retreats and more.

But that wasn’t the only reason Kvisle invested in the school — he was also inspired by his friend, Dick Haskayne. They first met professionally and Kvisle was as impressed with Haskayne’s character as he was with his business acumen.

“Behind all that is a fundamental generosity. He genuinely wants others to succeed and is skilled at getting the best out of people. He certainly got the best out of me.”