“Math underlines everything, but it doesn’t get the attention it should,” says A. David Pelletier, BSc’72. “You hear about breakthroughs in physics and medicine, and statistics used in economics and social studies, but it’s math that’s behind all those things.”
Because of his respect for math as a foundation for discovery, Pelletier has funded several student awards. The first, the Alexis D. and W. Charles Pelletier Fellowships in Mathematics, was founded in 2008 to honour his grandfather, Alexis D. Pelletier, MA 1907, and father, W. Charles Pelletier, BA’49. It is awarded by the Faculty of Science to outstanding students conducting doctoral research in mathematics.
He is now building on it with the impressive addition of four more awards: the A. David Pelletier Fellowships in Science, the A. David Pelletier Bursaries in Science, the A. David Pelletier Scholarships in Mathematics and Statistics, and the A. David Pelletier Science Undergraduate Research Award in Mathematics and Statistics.
“I asked the Faculty, ‘Where could [my gift] be of most use?’ and I liked their response: fellowships, scholarships and bursaries. There are students for whom financial help can make a heck of a difference.”
Pelletier is intimately aware of the power of both education and student aid: he himself received a J.W. McConnell Scholarship while earning his degree in honours mathematics. “It was a huge help financially, and it kept my nose to the grindstone, because I had to keep my marks up to continue to qualify for it. It also made me more aware of the importance of giving – the scholarship was helping students like me, and I was very grateful.”
Pelletier went on to a successful career as an actuary, working primarily in reinsurance and consulting in Canada, South America, Europe, and Asia. He credits McGill’s “incredibly tough and rigorous” studies for preparing him for the long series of required exams. Now retired, he maintains multiple ties to the University – through his children (Mike, BCom’02, and Carolyn, BA’13), as former co-chair of the Faculty of Science’s Advisory Board (2003-18), and as a loyal annual donor.
His newest awards will be funded through a gift of securities, which offers numerous tax advantages. “I got lucky with investments, and I’d been hearing about it for years – the fact that if you donate securities, the charity gets the full value but the capital gains tax disappears. I finally took a look at it, and it’s fantastic. It’s worked out really well.” His multi-year donation is also included in his estate plans.
His intention is to ensure McGill remains a vibrant learning institution. “It’s a win for the University, a win for Montreal and Québec, and a win for students” – particularly those with a focus on science and math. “The world is facing some pretty big issues, and science needs to play a huge part in dealing with them.”
What will your legacy be? Learn more about legacy giving.