A Culture of Philanthropy

BY MARK BOGHEN , WRITER

The past two decades have seen many impressive architectural changes to LCC’s campus. The Glenn J. Chamandy Arena, the Assaly Arts Centre, and the Miller Rink all followed the Webster Learning Activity Centre’s opening in 2000. These advancements came as a result of capital campaigns and generous donations from members of the LCC community. Less visible to the naked eye, but of equal importance, is the way that LCC raises funds. Over the last 20 years, under the leadership of Chris Shannon, Pre-U ’76, a fundamental transformation has taken place, promising to ensure LCC’s growth and prosperity well into the future.

Despite the tremendous success of capital campaigns aimed at developing LCC’s infrastructure, Chris saw that most of the contributions came from a tiny percentage of the LCC community: those who were able to offer major gifts. He felt that if a higher proportion of LCC stakeholders participated, even if it was on a much smaller scale, the benefits would be not only financial, but would also accrue to building the community fabric of the school. LCC Director of Advancement Nancy Smith stresses the importance of Chris Shannon’s philosophy of giving. “From the outset of his tenure, Chris has treated fundraising as something that doesn’t need to be hidden from sight. He has encouraged everyone to contribute according to their means, and has not shied away from announcing his own willingness to give, publicly noting that his will includes a planned gift to LCC.”

The effect has been tremendous: simply by reinforcing the impact of wider involvement, staff and faculty giving has risen from 26% to 80% since 2016, and parent participation has jumped from 9% to 50%. Even families who receive bursaries have been part of the change. Through these successful fundraising endeavours, the school continues to augment its ability to bring students into LCC who need part or most of their tuition to be subsidized, lending to increased socioeconomic diversity. They have also meant that the student experience is enhanced with additional resources and programming.

Chris Shannon’s vision and leadership have helped ensure that LCC can count on the generosity of its constituents, allowing the school to embark on meaningful projects that enrich the student experience. The culture of philanthropy that he has instilled is now a central component of the LCC community.