Concordia’s newest angel
The memory of Queen of Angels Academy, which closed its doors this spring, will live on at Concordia thanks to a donation from the academy’s foundation.
The $200,000 gift was announced at the academy in Dorval, Que., on June 18. The award will provide four annual $2,500 scholarships for former Queen of Angels Academy students, or their children or grandchildren, for the next 20 years.
“We are very honoured to receive this gift,” says Francine Levi, Concordia’s principal director of development for the Faculty of Arts and Science. “It confirms that the foundation’s board members see us as maintaining the Queen of Angels tradition of excellence in education. While it’s a very sad time for the academy and their family, this gift will encourage their girls to continue that outstanding tradition with Concordia, and will ensure the Queen of Angels’ legacy remains alive.”
Concordia’s Francine Levi (far left) and Bram Freedman (far right) were on hand June 18 at Queen of Angels Academy in Dorval, Que., for the foundation’s announcement of a $200,000 gift to the university.
Also in the photo are, from left, Jennifer Frezza, Patricia Marshall, Frank Gattinger, Bernadette Grzelak, Rorita Gattinger and Mary Reynolds. | Photo by: Leslie Schachter
Jennifer Frezza, president of the Queen of Angels Academy Foundation, says the academy is proud of its association with the university. “Concordia is a great school. It is one of the go-to schools for our girls and it would be nice to keep our girls in the city and make a more prosperous Montreal.”
The foundation had been collecting funds to support bursaries and scholarships for students of the semi-private Catholic secondary school for girls. It had to disburse its remaining funds due to the closing of the school this year. Concordia is the only university among the various non-profits that received gifts from the foundation.
“We’re very appreciative that the foundation singled out Concordia,” says Bram Freedman, the university’s vice-president of Development and External Relations, and secretary-general. “It shows the value that the Queen of Angels Academy Foundation — including alumni, parents and teachers and students — place on us.”
“It’s wonderful for our girls,” says Patricia Marshall, foundation vice-president, of the scholarships. “We’re going to continually let them know every year to apply. It’s going to keep the name of Queen of Angels going for a long time.”