Estate gift to Dorothy Helen McRobb Scholarship fund will support generations of students to come

When A&S alum and longtime donor Dorothy Helen McRobb passed away in May 2023, she left a multimillion-dollar estate gift to bolster the scholarship fund in her name.

Established at Woodsworth College in 2005, the Dorothy Helen McRobb Scholarship is one of the largest at the college, awarded to more than 20 students each year. Since 2011, 217 students have received the award, which is distributed based on academic merit and financial need.

“Receiving an award in the amount that may cover as much as one- or two-month’s rent makes a huge difference in the financial well-being of a student,” says Yvonne Hilder, an awards officer at Woodsworth College.

For 19 years, McRobb’s scholarship has been changing the lives of students like Ishani Sharma, who became a recipient in 2024. Sharma recently earned her honours bachelor of science with a double major in environmental science and biodiversity and conservation biology.

“I have spent the last four years devoted to excelling within my degree and gaining knowledge regarding environmental issues around the world,” Sharma says. “This scholarship is the first I have received in recognition of my merit, and it was wonderful to begin my final semester with this fortunate news.”

Sharma is now pursuing a master’s in environmental science at University of Toronto Scarborough. She says the McRobb scholarship has played a major part in enabling her continued academic pursuits.

“My family has always been supportive of my goals, but there is no doubt this scholarship will help alleviate the financial stresses and considerations that come with academia,” Sharma says.

McRobb had a close relationship with U of T and Woodsworth College, where she studied while working toward her bachelor of arts in 1972. She’d previously earned a certificate in institutional management in 1952 at the university.

McRobb became an accountant and worked for the Ontario government, eventually acting as vice-chair on the Ontario Municipal Board. She later found success in the stock market and made the decision to give most of her money away.

“Education is very important,” McRobb said in an interview with U of T Magazine in 2006.

A resolute philanthropist in life, McRobb’s final gift to U of T will continue to support generations of students.

“This scholarship will support my academic goals and will push me to continue to excel in the future,” Sharma says.

Story by Coby Zucker.
This article was originally published on the A&S website here.