For more than 30 years, Dr. Jennifer Moore (MD’86) has been making annual gifts to Dalhousie, mainly in support of the Faculty of Medicine. She hopes her gifts are helping to make medical education more affordable, and that this will lead to an increase in the number and diversity of practicing physicians.
I remember working summers during my studies to make ends meet,” says Dr. Moore. “I’m sure it’s more challenging now and that many students probably don’t even think about applying. I want to get more individuals going to medical school who otherwise might not have that opportunity, whether because of barriers related to cost or because they come from backgrounds that have been underrepresented in medicine.”
Dr. Moore decided to start giving to Dalhousie shortly after she graduated. “It seemed like the right thing to do, even if it was fairly minimal,” she says. “The university provided me with the skills, knowledge, and encouragement to become a physician and start my own practice. It also gave my husband, Peter [Borwein], his first academic job as professor in the Department of Mathematics. Dalhousie has had a big impact on my life.” That connection has deepened significantly over the years; two of Dr. Moore’s daughters are also Dalhousie alumni.
In 2022, Dr. Moore was inspired to make a special gift to Dalhousie through the Fill the House Seat Campaign. She did so in memory of Peter, who passed away in 2020 from complications related to multiple sclerosis. The opportunity to have a seat in his name at the Joseph Strug Concert Hall resonated with her.
“I’d been looking into different things and remembered all the times we went to the Arts Centre,” Dr. Moore says. “We had so many positive memories, so I decided to support the campaign with a chair for persons with disabilities.”
As Dr. Moore prepares to retire from her practice in BC, she is also reflecting on more ways to continue her legacy of giving to Dalhousie. She hopes that, by sharing her story, she can inspire other alumni to think about how they can give.
“I think people often feel like they have to give a certain amount before they can be comfortable doing so,” Dr. Moore says. “But there are lots of ways you can help, even if you start small, that can really make a difference over time.”
This story appeared in the DAL Magazine Fall/Winter 2023 issue. Flip through the rest of the issue using the links below.