Donor Report 2009

Supporting the classics at Mount Allison

The late Dr. John Ernest Alexander Crake continues to make a positive impact on the lives and learning outcomes of students studying the humanities at Mount Alison. Having spent nearly 30 years as head of the Classics Department, Dr. Crake established the Crake Foundation after his retirement in 1976.

While at Mount Allison, Dr. Crake was selfless in his desire to serve his university, not only as a well-remembered teacher and careful scholar, but also as Secretary of the Senate and a member of the Board of Regents. Outside of the University he also supported the work of the Humanities Research Council of Canada as a member of its governing body and Publications Committee.

The Crake Foundation has contributed generously to the University for decades. Its first project was the annual Crake Lectureship in Ancient History and Classical Studies, inaugurated in 1979. Since then the Foundation has supported student learning in the liberal arts through such initiatives as scholarships and awards, summer research positions, teaching fellowships and guest lecture series, to name but a few. It is the Foundation’s way of ensuring that Dr. Crake’s lifelong commitment to his discipline continues. And it has helped maintain a tradition of excellence at the institution that meant so much to him.

Says Hans vanderLeest, Mount Allison’s Dean of Arts, “I have been fortunate to be at Mount Allison since almost the beginning of the Crake Foundation’s support of projects at the university. Through the years this support has expanded to 20 different programs, each enhancing the opportunities available to students and faculty members. From a simple beginning, Dr. Crake’s generosity has grown into a wonderful legacy that will continue to shape the successes of students who share his passion for the humanities.”