“I started taking piano lessons very young, then began studying the violin and the cello and then I became interested in chamber music,” says Greer. “By the time I finished high school me and a classmate had even written a musical version of Hamlet. It was just sort of obvious when I graduated that I would go into music.” 

When he arrived at the University of Manitoba, those sparks found structure. As a collaborative piano major, he found the technical and creative grounding that launched him into a life in music: vocal coaching, conducting, arranging, composing and performing.  

“All of those disciplines were sparked while I was a student at UM, and I treasure the friendships formed there that I’ve maintained to this day,” he says. “I credit my education at the University of Manitoba for preparing me so well not only for my graduate studies at the University of Southern California but also for my career in music, which turned out to be the perfect fit for me.” 

Now in his 70s, Greer is starting to think about giving back. He says it wasn’t until about a year ago that he realized he did not have an up to date will. As he began thinking about how to shape his legacy, he considered where his estate could make the most meaningful difference. He decided to channel his legacy toward the studies and disciplines that had given him purpose.  

“To encourage creative musicians is maybe the best thing that I could possibly do,” he says. “I hope that one day my gift might fund an education for a young, talented composer who has all the musical skills but who can’t afford it on their own. My gift may also serve to attract top students from across the the country or even the continent and perhaps raise the profile of the department as well.” 

Today Greer describes himself as semi-retired. He still teaches graduate singers at the Glen Gould Professional School, composes and arranges, and spends summers teaching abroad. His planned gift is an extension of a life-long belief in music’s power to transform: an education he once received, now a future he helps make possible for others. 

“Setting this framework was about more than finances,” he says. “It was about ensuring the priorities that matter to me endure, and that the next generation of creative musicians have a chance to begin where I began.” 

What does a future fueled by generosity look like? It’s in the faces of new graduates with big ideas, in bold research solutions for Manitoba and the world, and in community initiatives coming to life in collaborative ways. Here, a legacy of philanthropy is shaping the leaders, innovators and change-makers of tomorrow. Learn how you can get involved.

The AFU Showcase is open to the university community and the public, where you are invited to connect with units from across the university and learn more about their offerings. Registration is not required to attend the AFU Showcase, which will take place in conjunction with the Centre on Aging’s 42nd Annual Spring Research Symposium, which will be held on the same day and location.

Why attend the AFU Showcase?

The AFU Showcase is a way for both the UM community and public to connect with one another. Using the AFU principles for inspiration, here are 10 reasons why you should join us!

1. To encourage the participation of older adults
   Whether you’re interested in learning opportunities, being a research participant, or engaging in a variety of activities and events, connect with UM staff to find out about opportunities available to you.
2. Personal and career development
   Interested in learning more about where your future career path can take you? Access resources to update your resume or learn about current job and volunteer opportunities and get recognized for your extracurricular activities through the student Experience Record. Connect with staff from Career, Community and Experiential Learning Centre. Those who are current students or have graduated from UM within the last six months can schedule meetings with Career Services and are also able to access online resources and workshops.
3. Range of education needs
   Whether you’re looking to change careers or pursue a graduate degree, staff from the Faculty of Graduate Studies can talk to you about the various graduate programs offered. They can also share information about the Graduate Focus on Aging Concentration.
   Are you in need of support for your learning? Student Accessibility Services can assist students with disabilities to foster future academic success. Connect with them in person to find out how.
4. Intergenerational learning
   There are many opportunities for older adults and younger adults to connect and learn from one another. Whether it’s by auditing a course or attending an arts or cultural event, check out the Events calendar to find out what’s happening on campus.
5. Online educational opportunities
   Whether you’re interested in learning about research through an online webinar or taking a short course, connect with Extended Education staff to learn about their range of learning opportunities both in person and online!
6. Research agenda
   The Centre on Aging has a participant database for those aged 55 years and older who are interested in participating in research studies focused on older adults. Sign up to be contacted about future studies and contribute to aging research.
7. Longevity dividend
   Manitobans are known for their generosity. By 2041, the projected number of those aged 65 to 74 years will be over 140,000 Manitobans, with over 80% of individuals aged 55–74 donating to a charitable organization. Learn how you can make a difference to future generations at the UM by connecting with Planned Giving staff.
8. Health and wellness programs and cultural activities
   No matter which campus you’re on, the Family Resource coordinator (Fort Garry) or Rady Family Centre  (Bannatyne) provide various resources and supports for staff to access on family care topics: child care, older adult care, newcomer supports.
   Visit Recreation Services to learn about their Aging Actively programs and if you haven’t already, take a tour of their facilities during the lunch hour.
9. University’s retired community
   UM staff considering retirement can find out about other considerations they need to know by connecting with the UM Retirement Readiness Peer Network Group or taking the Road to Retirement course on UM Learn.
   For those who will be retiring, speak with a University of Manitoba Retirees Association (UMRA) representative to learn how retirees can stay connected with the UM.
10. Dialogue with organizations representing older adults
    As part of the Centre’s 42nd Annual Spring Research Symposium, you can connect with exhibitors who will be available to talk about programs and services they offer in Manitoba to older adults, their caregivers, families, and friends.

For more information

To learn more about Age-Friendly University Showcase participants and initiatives, visit the AFU Hub.

“I applied to eight universities around the world, and I got accepted into all of them. I chose UM because I received entrance scholarships to cover a major part of my tuition fees,” said Anwesha. “One scholarship I received through St. Paul’s College was supported by a Christian congregation of nuns, Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. The scholarship offered me free accommodation for the first year. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life, and the nun’s unconditional love and motherly support really helped me settle into this new life in Canada.”

During her studies and after her graduation, she worked with different non-profit organizations and several philanthropic and social initiatives in Winnipeg. In her last work assignment, she was working at UM with the International College of Manitoba as a student counselor. Currently, she’s working toward establishing an initiative for women and non-binary folks who are leaving abusive relationships and an organization that supports environmental sustainability. But this is not the only way she wants to make a difference in this world. Anwesha is also creating a planned gift with UM.

“I started my post-death planning journey with my lawyer, but it was clear to me even before that how I want to use the money I leave behind after I die,” she said. “I believe what you give out, it always comes back to you. But at the same time, you also have a responsibility to give back what you’ve received. So, this gift is very much based on that whole karma philosophy, which comes from Hindu religion. Everything is balanced, and if you balance it right, I think that’s the best closure of life. It’s not death, but it’s that legacy that you leave behind. And that is how the cycle of life completes itself.”

Besides receiving 17 scholarships, awards, and bursaries from the school, she received tremendous informal supports – financial and otherwise – from friends, colleagues, and acquaintances over the two years while studying at UM. Anwesha said the university was her first choice when it came to the idea of giving back. She has firsthand experience of the financial struggles international students face. The situation is made even more difficult because many scholarships are still reserved for permanent resident and Canadian citizens. She plans for her scholarship to go to an international student in the Peace and Conflict Studies program.

“I’m reserving this scholarship for women and non-binary students who really want to make a difference in the ways of conflict and peace-building work is happening around the world,” she said. “The scholarship will also be reserved for the students who want to go to other countries, work specifically in the conflict zones, or do out-of-the-box innovative kind of work to bring a meaningful and positive change in this world.”

Anwesha decided a planned gift was the way to go because she says after death, there are no more attachments to the money we owned and because of that she hopes the beneficiary feels no obligation toward the donor but with a hope that the receiver of these planned gifts feel motivated to give back someday too if they’re able to. Her name, Anamika Anwesha, means “a nameless journey”, so it was important to her not to put her name on the scholarship.

“The important thing to me is to give from the heart,” she said. “I think that’s why I’m focusing on Peace and Conflict Studies program because I really see a value in my work. The program has helped me immensely to be in a position to help people, and now I want to give others those same opportunities.”

For those thinking of making a planned gift as well, she also said it’s never too soon to start thinking about how you can maybe make a difference someday, whether you’re alive or if it’s after you pass. One of the biggest surprises of her planned giving journey was how many things she thought about giving to because of all the different ways she’s been impacted in her life – there is no limit to how and what you can give.

“To me, giving back is how life works,” she said. “I was once in a position where I needed support, so now it’s my turn to pay it forward and support others.”

“When I think back to being 17, I was out of the house, not knowing what to do or where to stay but knowing I needed to get a job,” he said. “I picked up jobs here and there as I travelled around. One of my more unique jobs was on Vancouver Island as a tree planter. We lived on a boat where the captain was a retired RCMP officer, and his wife was in charge of the kitchen. When we finished planting in one area, the boat took us to the next because there was no road access.”

He travelled throughout the United States, meeting all kinds of people and having many adventurous experiences. By the time he was 21 years old, he knew he couldn’t do it forever. He joked his body was telling him he was getting tired. He decided to apply to the University of Manitoba because he understood that he could apply as a mature student.

“I got accepted, and I worked really hard. I didn’t have the schooling background, so the first year was a bit of a struggle. But I soon got to be more familiar with things and I basically didn’t do anything else. I just studied, went to school, and studied,” he said. “Out of all the universities I attended throughout the years, UM was the best. I got to meet the professors and if I needed help, they were available and approachable.”

After completing his Bachelor of Arts, he received a bursary to study at McGill for the summer at a postgraduate level and then moved to Montreal and studied for another two years at a postgraduate level in his major of French literature. Then he realized literature was not his true calling.

Allegro’s next step took him to a job at Dun & Bradstreet where he was trained to become a business analyst. There, he learned how to analyze financial numbers but did not understand how they got onto financial statements. He went back to college in Montreal and took courses in math, accounting, and computer science, and in 1980, he was accepted as a student at Concordia University in the Faculty of Commerce. 

“Studying commerce got me thinking about business, and I set up a file called ‘Ideas’. Every time I had an idea for a business, I would write it out and put it in this file,” he said. “At that time, I was married to a medical student, and I became aware that paper billings for doctors were going to transition to electronic billings. When we moved back to Winnipeg in 1986 and I was not able to find a job right away, I started an electronic billing service for physicians whereby I would submit their paper claims electronically. Thus physicians were able to benefit from electronic billings without having to computerize their office.”

In 1991, Allegro furthered this business by developing his own billing program. In 2005, he financed the development of this program as a web application, and in 2018, he sold it to Manitoba Blue Cross – all while working as a tax auditor with the Canada Revenue Agency.

Allegro says when he looks back on his life, he’s proud of the accomplishments he’s made and acknowledges that he owes a lot to UM, and that is why he decided to make a planned gift to the university.

“Sure, it took a lot of hard work, and it took a lot of risk-taking, but UM gave me the opportunity to start this journey by registering as a mature student,” Allegro said. “Because of that, I was able to further my studies, opening all kinds of avenues I never would have known existed if not for that first step. And I thought I wanted to help others in the same situation.”

Each year, beginning in 2016-17, the available annual income from Allegro’s fund has been used to offer one bursary to an entering undergraduate admitted to UM as a mature student and enrolled full-time in any faculty, school or college. The student must demonstrate financial need and must achieve a minimum grade point average of 2.5 annually. As the fund grew, the available annual income also increased. Today, the fund offers two bursaries per year to two students.

“There are all kinds of reasons why people don’t go to university right out of high school, and it may not be their fault that they find themselves in that situation,” he said. “The university helped me, and I’m working on the same principle of giving back because I know firsthand that people need this support. Maybe down the road these students will remember that somebody helped them finance their education and they’ll want to do the same for the next generation.”

“My parents are both graduates of the University of Manitoba. My sister and I went to Mini U as kids, so UM was very ingrained in our family. I didn’t even think about going anywhere else,” she says. “I also ran track and field, so being able to continue to do that was important.”  

Her husband, Brian [BA(Adv)/96], was also involved in Bisons sports as a competitive swimmer but says what appealed to him about UM was the large offering of programs.  

“I hadn’t yet decided on a career path, so I saw UM as a huge advantage to be able to have more options available to me for my academic experience,” says Brian.  

Since graduation, they have continued to build their relationship with UM. Brian, Winnipeg’s former mayor, has previously served as the President of the Alumni Council and Tracy is currently the Executive Director of Alumni Relations. As their family began to grow, they decided it was time to sit down with their lawyer and financial advisor to talk about a will. 

“I think that’s usual for most people when they start having children. You need to make sure you cover all the ‘what-if’ situations but then you also start to think about what kind of legacy you will leave for your children,” says Tracy. 

While working with their advisor, they were asked ‘is there anywhere else you would like to direct some of your estate?’ and without question, they both said the University of Manitoba. Having both received scholarships in university, they understood firsthand how important and beneficial that money can be for students. Now, through their planned gift, they are committed to helping the next generation of students. 

“UM has had the greatest impact on my life,” says Brian. “My professional life has been shaped by the opportunities that were afforded to me as a student. I met Tracy here, and we’ve built a life together now with our two children. And a lot of our friends are people that we met while studying here.” 

With their planned gift, they have established the Tracy and Brian Bowman Swimming Student Award, which was given for the first time this year. They are also in talks about increasing the gift in the future to potentially set up a track and field scholarship. 

“Brian and I are very passionate about Bisons sports and understand the sacrifices that athletes at that level make,” says Tracy. “They’re expected to have a 3.5 or 4.0 grade point average and commit 20-to-40 hours a week to their sport. They’re traveling and training and it really takes a lot.” 

Since Alexander Kennedy Isbister left the first planned gift to the University of Manitoba 140 years ago, his legacy of giving has continued to inspire people like the Bowmans to plan their own gifts and pay it forward to the next generations of UM students and researchers. To celebrate Isbister’s dedication to philanthropy, UM is looking to welcome 40 new members to the Isbister Legacy Society during this remarkable 140th anniversary year. The Isbister Legacy Society is comprised of those who have committed to leaving a planned gift — a meaningful way to give back with no immediate cost — to UM. 

“We’re hoping that what we’re doing, which is inspired by the giving of others, can also in turn inspire folks who haven’t considered to give in this way to do so,” says Brian.  

Tracy adds: “Brian and I made this will over 10 years ago, so we do hope a lot of alumni, particularly younger alumni, start to understand it’s never too early to start thinking about how you can impact an organization that’s meaningful to you. 

“We truly believe in the power of paying it forward. We try to instill that in our children as well. We’re only as great as a community for doing this all together and supporting people, but especially those who perhaps need more support than others,” says Tracy.  

“Philanthropy is one way in which we can work with our friends and neighbours to do something positive in the world,” adds Brian.