Cultivating connection and enriching education: Haskayne School of Business receives 2 generous gifts for Mathison Hall

Walking the halls of Mathison Hall, it’s apparent the new building is delivering on its mission of enriching the student experience. From animated group discussions in the transparent syndicate rooms, to the moments of connection between classes in the collision spaces and the numerous students who settle in to work on their studies, the energy in the building is palpable.

In the short three months since the building officially opened, Mathison Hall has already restored a sense of community for Haskayne — reuniting students back to one home base.

• Photo above: From left, Jim Dewald, Jessica Bergen (senior director Haskayne centres), Amberly Dooley, Rhona DelFrari and Bob Schulz at the Enbridge Research in Action Series event in February 2023.

One of the largest reasons Mathison Hall has created such a welcoming space is through its purposeful design — especially as it relates to its collision spaces. Recognizing the important role these spaces play in forging connections, Enbridge generously donated to the Haskayne Capital Expansion Project. In recognition of this gift, a large informal gathering space on the fourth floor of Mathison Hall has been named Enbridge Concourse.

This open, informal space is designed for graduate students. Beyond its stunning views of Mathison Hall from the top of the atrium, students can leverage this area between classes to converse, collaborate, reflect or work independently on their studies. Situated on the same level as Graduate Student Services and classrooms, the Enbridge Concourse helps make the fourth floor a convenient home base for Haskayne’s graduate students.

“We’re proud of our long-standing relationship with the Haskayne School of Business as we recognize the critical work the school does in developing the talent of our future business leaders and equipping them with the skills necessary to tackle myriad challenges and opportunities ahead,” says Byron Neiles, EVP and chief administrative officer, Enbridge, MBA’03.

“We look forward to seeing the ideas formed and connections fostered from the Enbridge Concourse space — as these ideas and relationships could very well drive sustainable business impact for years to come.”

Enbridge Research in Action Seminar Series

Beyond Enbridge’s generous donation to Mathison Hall, the organization continues its commitment to driving experiential learning opportunities at Haskayne through its sponsorship of the Creative Destruction Lab-Rockies Energy Stream and another three-year investment in the Enbridge Research in Action Seminar Series.

The Enbridge Research in Action Seminar Series brings together influential researchers, practitioners and industry experts to discuss leading-edge sustainability topics and research. After being required to shift to a virtual format for the past three years, Haskayne was thrilled to host the event in-person again on Feb. 15, bringing the community together to experience this engaging series. 

The sold-out event focused on the role collaboration plays in the energy transition and welcomed Rhona DelFrari, chief sustainability officer and senior vice-president, stakeholder engagement at Cenovus Energy, and Amberly Dooley, director of policy at Pathways Alliance as panellists. Moderated by Dr. Bob Schulz, professor at Haskayne, the conversation was captivating as the panel discussed Canadian ingenuity, leadership and how collaboration can help achieve net-zero goals.

“What separates Haskayne from its competitors and makes it a top-tier business school is its connections to the business community — and it is events like the Enbridge Research in Action Seminar Series that reinforce these connections and allow our school the opportunity to engage with the broader business community on matters that are critical to our economy and our future,” says Dean Jim Dewald, Haskayne School of Business.

“We are incredibly grateful for partners like Enbridge who recognize the important role collaboration plays between post-secondary institutions and the business community at large.”

Learn more about the biannual event series and stay up to date with future offerings.

Fuelling the future starts in the classroom

Since the kick-off of the winter semester, Mathison Hall’s twelve new classrooms have been in full use. The new classrooms not only help resolve Haskayne’s capacity issue, but by incorporating different classroom configurations and leveraging the latest technology, the school is able to introduce new teaching methods and better accommodate learning preferences.

Holding a firm belief that our youth will drive our future through education that fosters growth, prosperity and community-mindedness, North American business leader, former Enbridge CEO and Haskayne MBA’97 alum, Al Monaco and his wife, Laurie have made a generous donation to Mathison Hall to help Haskayne continue to deliver on its mission of providing a premier business education experience.

In recognition of their gift, a 60-person classroom beside the Enbridge Concourse on Mathison Hall’s fourth floor has been named the Monaco Family Classroom. The Monaco Family Classroom is designed to be used by Haskayne graduate students – a befitting tie to Al Monaco’s past as a former Haskayne MBA student.

“Laurie and I are strong believers in the power of education – it not only creates knowledge and builds critical thinking capabilities, but it helps break down barriers to opportunity,” says Al Monaco, donor of Mathison Hall. “We all have a responsibility to equip the next generations of business leaders with the skills needed to advance our economy and better our communities. We hope the Monaco Family Classroom will be a place where students can thrive and reach their full potential.”

Haskayne is seeking additional philanthropic investments to close the remaining $5 million gap on Mathison Hall. Learn more about Haskayne’s giving opportunities.