Bruce Bolton, BSc’72, has been a mainstay at McGill’s campuses for over 55 years. He graduated from Science, has deep professional ties to Macdonald Campus, and was a long-time Board member for McGill’s School of Continuing Studies.
“I’ve been exposed to McGill in so many different ways over the years,” says Bolton. “The students, professors, and administrators – everyone I meet is wonderful.”
Bolton’s student experience is perhaps familiar to those who attended McGill in the ’60s and ’70s: he recalls rigorous classes, prestigious professors, raucous football games, and using computers for the very first time. “The University opened my eyes to what was happening in the world. It was fantastic.”
Outside of McGill, Bolton volunteered with the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) and spent his summers working for the Stewart Museum. He would eventually serve as executive director of the Museum – which recently merged with the McCord Museum to become the McCord Stewart Museum – as well as executive director of the Macdonald Stewart Foundation, a charitable foundation closely associated with McGill and Macdonald Campus.
“I’ve had the chance to attend scholarships and awards ceremonies at Mac, and the students are absolutely incredible. They turn my head every time – what they’re doing, how well they do it, and how little encouragement they need to go way beyond what I ever would’ve dreamed of as a student.”
His McGill ties would lead to a role on the committee to establish the Chair in Canadian-Scottish Studies, as well as on the Board of the School of Continuing Studies, where he and his wife have established the Bruce and Roberta Bolton Scholarship. “I see the outstanding work being done at McGill and the brilliance of its students, and I want to encourage the future. They’re making exceptional contributions.”
He too is making exceptional contributions: in addition to the named scholarship, Bolton has left a legacy gift to McGill. And as a Planned Giving Ambassador for the University, he encourages his fellow alumni to consider doing the same – such as leaving a bequest in their will.
“Every generation has benefitted from the previous one – otherwise McGill wouldn’t be what it is today. It’s up to every alumnus to pass the torch, and what better legacy then to support brilliant young students?”