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Alumna honours father’s legacy with new scholarship
Kathryn Xistris
Kathryn Xistris, BEng 85, has established the Dr. George D. Xistris Scholarship Endowment in Mechanical Engineering, honouring her father, who had a storied career as a professor in mechanical engineering at Concordia.
The alumna says it’s the least she could do to show her gratitude.
Her 40-year career has taken her from sales leadership at Digital Equipment Corporation to executive roles at Microsoft and now at Amazon, where she is a managing director based in Luxembourg.
Kathryn and her father, now in his late 80s, spent about a year developing the idea for the scholarship. In the process, she got to learn more about his career at Concordia, which began in the mid-1960s.
Dr. X, as he was known, most notably served as an associate professor and researcher from 1968 to 1995 and as assistant dean from 1973 to 1993. He was also instrumental in establishing the Faculty of Engineering — now the Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science — by leading the first accreditation of the Mechanical, Electrical and Civil Engineering program at Concordia (then Sir George Williams University) in 1969.
He loved teaching, and has been a lifelong learner, says Kathryn. “His whole life has been around education. He’s an educator. He cultivated a love for learning in his children.”
Kathryn hopes the scholarship in her father’s name will help set engineering students up for success.
“It’s a small effort, but I want it to give them that extra push. And I think it’s a vote of confidence for them to believe that they are at the top and to go for those big career opportunities.”
Highlights
A significant gift of $6 million from Dominic D’Alessandro, BSc 67, LLD 98, established the Dominic D’Alessandro Fellowship Fund. This new commitment brought his endowment fund to $10 million in support of new prestige graduate awards in STEM and finance at Concordia.
A gift of $450,000 from Sari Hornstein, Norbert Hornstein and Amy Weinberg supported the Department of Creative Arts Therapies Outreach Program to foster a more inclusive arts scene in Montreal.
Claudia Perello, BComm 93, MBA 02, donated $108,750 to establish the Claudia Perello Endowment and Bursary for Women in Tech at the John Molson School.
Robert G. Courteau, BComm 81, LLD 11, and his wife, Flora, donated $100,000 to support experiential learning through case competitions at the John Molson School and ENGCOMM, the world’s only student-led multidisciplinary case competition.
Edward Rosenthal, BA 74, DSc 23, contributed $78,283.70 to establish the Berthe Hadida “Betty” Rosenthal Student Award for undergraduate students at the John Molson School.
A gift of $75,000 from composer Barry Truax funded an award for Department of Music students enrolled in electroacoustic studies.
Robert J. Briscoe, BSc 67, MBA 73, LLD 18, contributed $75,000 to support the Robert Briscoe MBA International Case Competition Fund.
Julien BriseBois, EMBA 07, general manager of the National Hockey League’s Tampa Bay Lightning, donated $75,000 to the Concordia Stingers women’s hockey program.
Tulsi N. Mirchandaney, AMBA 00, gave $66,750 to provide financial assistance to Supply Chain Management undergraduate students through an endowment and in-course bursary.
Emaral Investments donated $50,000 to the Travel Fund for Graduate Students to help scholars disseminate their research and creative work.
Peter Kruyt, BComm 78, donated $50,000 to his alma mater, a portion of which will support the Chancellor’s First Generation Endowment.
James M. Stanford, BSc 58, LLD 00, continued his support for Concordia with a donation of $50,000.
Leslie Raenden contributed $45,000 to the Leslie Raenden Art Volt Fund. The Art Volt program supports fine-arts graduates with professional development resources.
Sarah E. Ivory, MFA 95, contributed $45,000 to the Sarah Ivory Art Volt Fund.
Robert H. Beriault, BComm 73, gave $35,583 to support Friends of Concordia Football.
Brian Beattie, BComm 76, MBA 81, donated $33,513 to support case competitions at the John Molson School.
Richard Lapointe, BComm 90, donated $33,000 to support case competitions at the John Molson School.
A gift of $26,962.60 from Robert H. Beriault, BComm 73, a former all-star football player at Loyola College, supported the Concordia Stingers football program.
A $25,000 donation from Pietro D’Ulisse, BEng 83, supported the Pietro D’Ulisse Scholarships for Women in Electrical Engineering.
A major gift from Paris J. Arnopoulos, BSc 56, BA 58, was made in support of the Department of Political Science.
A major gift from David R. Gawley supported the Marjorie McInnes Grant Cooper Bursary, established to encourage full-time undergraduate students in financial need.
Sally Issenman made a gift in support of the Lois Gold Issenman Painting and Drawing Scholarship and the Leslie Schalk Painting and Drawing Award at the Faculty of Fine Arts.
