Pam and Dick Joho are passionate about liberal arts education and the undergraduate experience. Their admiration began more than half a century ago as students, first at Michigan State University, where the couple met, and later at the University of Toronto. 

“The undergraduate experience is extremely important to someone’s life and development. You become exposed to so much, to a diversity of ideas,” says Dick. “Your experience can go on to affect what you do as a career or even just affect how you will go through the rest of your life.” 

Pam and Dick credit their liberal arts education not only with their successful careers in business, where they used communication, critical thinking, and other skills cultivated as undergraduate students, but also with their 57 years of marriage. 

The couple eagerly reflects on the decades they have spent sharing their interests and explorations of literature, philosophy, history, music, and art. They always have new things to talk about and continue to find inspiration in the books and ideas they were first exposed to as students. 

Pam, for example, re-reads her collection of Jane Austen novels every few years. 

“Returning to Jane Austen has always re-balanced me,” she says. “I think her work helps you look at your life as an individual and as someone with responsibilities to those around you and examine how you should interact with the world. Re-reading Jane Austen made a big difference to me whenever things got tough at work.” 

The couple had no previous relationship with Mount Allison before choosing to support the University with their philanthropy. In fact, they can only readily think of one person they know who attended Mount Allison. After researching and learning more about the school, they decided to create the Pamela and Richard Joho Scholarship, a prestigious renewable award supporting students in a Bachelor of Arts, Fine Arts, or Music degree. 

“We did our research, and the reputation and mission of Mount Allison was very encouraging,” says Dick. “We felt connected to everything we read about the University. The liberal arts seems to be part of Mount Allison’s DNA, and we are comfortable it is going to stay an important part of the University into the future.” 

The renewable aspect of the scholarship is very important to Pam and Dick. As students, the couple worked many jobs to afford their education — in Pam’s case, earning her honours English degree took 10 years while working full time at a career job. The couple wants to remove financial anxiety for students, providing the chance to go away to school and get fully involved in the undergraduate experience of once-in-a-lifetime learning opportunities in and out of the classroom. 

“Our interest in liberal arts and preserving this kind of education has only grown and expanded and become more important to us,” says Pam. “It’s encouraging to know we can make a difference through our scholarship.” 

The Johos have arranged an estate gift to further support and grow their scholarship, ensuring their commitment and legacy to liberal arts education.

Read more stories of philanthropy at: mta.ca/giving