Richard and Linda Jussaume
Dr. Richard and Linda Jussaume were first introduced to St. Paul’s over 10 years ago when their friend and alumnus Bill Watson invited them to a presentation highlighting on-going and planned developments at the College -- and they have been loyal supporters ever since.
Initially compelled by the case for support, which included Indigenous education as one of the top priorities, they now firmly believe in the importance of St. Paul’s mission and vision: “a strong focus on environmental and social justice issues is vital to Canada’s (and other nations) success and progress, now and in the future. This depends on entrepreneurial efforts and we believe St. Paul’s is a leader in attracting and developing the talents that will be required. We have already witnessed examples of success in the remarkable accomplishments of some of the young students and grads.”
In addition to being generous major donors, Richard and Linda have sponsored and attended the annual golf tournament every year since it started in 2008. “The tournament is one of the highlights of our year, providing countless opportunities to enjoy the energy and friendship of alumni, staff, and students. It is an opportunity to hear about great achievements and meet the students. We get to hear first-hand their experiences and accomplishments and have learned that they are dedicated and motivated with a social conscience.”
They were so inspired by GreenHouse alumna and FullSoul Canada founder Christina Marchand’s talk at the 2015 tournament that they gave an additional gift to support the GreenHouse program.
Richard and Linda say they feel motivated to support St. Paul’s because “the leadership team at St. Paul's have shaped the college and brought it to a new level, every year. We frequently talk about University of Waterloo/St. Paul’s in social and professional settings and people always become interested. We hope we have encouraged some to become involved in a concrete way. We feel and share with others that it’s a worthy cause to develop leaders in this field of social innovation in addressing global development problems.”