Dalhousie lost a close friend and community member on Monday (May 13, 2024), when business magnate Arthur Irving, 93, president emeritus of Irving Oil, died. His legacy will live on at Dalhousie, especially through the Irving Oil Auditorium and through his support of Dal's engineering students.
Irving was born in 1930 in Saint John, NB, son of industrialist KC Irving. He was educated at Acadia University, where he later served as Chancellor from 1996 to 2010.
He became president of Irving Oil in 1972. Today, Irving Oil operates Canada's largest refinery in Saint John, processing about 320,000 barrels per day. Irving Oil has over 900 bunkering locations and a network of distribution terminals spanning eastern Canada and New England, as well as operating Ireland's only refinery, Whitegate.
A member of the Canadian Business Hall of Fame (2008) and Officer of the Order of Canada (2002), Irving demonstrated great enthusiasm for people, education and his community.
Generously supporting Dalhousie
In 2017, Irving was in Halifax to announce Irving Oil's $2.2 million donation to the Dalhousies. IDEA Project (Innovation and Design in Engineering and Architecture) on the Sexton campus. The gift continues to enhance the entire student experience, supporting new infrastructure and financial awards, and cultivating a culture of safety among engineering students.
At the center of Irving's investment was support for the construction of the 450-seat Irving Oil Auditorium, a state-of-the-art learning space designed to meet the needs of engineering students. This space has been transformative for the engineering student experience, allowing entire classes to meet on the Sexton campus. It is also a valued space for industry and community to bring groups together.
Arthur Irving visited the campus while the Irving Oil Auditorium was being built.
In addition, it supported high-performing engineering students who completed their second year of studies. In addition to offering several scholarships annually, the multi-year commitment includes the possibility of a cooperative placement with Irving Oil for each recipient, providing invaluable work experience for the engineers of the future.
โArthur Irving was a dear friend of the Faculty of Engineering. โHe valued education and his gift not only enriches studentsโ experiences on campus, but the scholarships he created continue to provide our students with opportunities to gain hands-on learning experiences through co-ops at Irving Oil,โ says John, dean of Dalhousie Engineering. New hook. โFurthermore, Arthur was a firm believer in the potential of the Maritimes. โHis dedication to our region included creating opportunities to train and retain future leaders here on Canadaโs east coast and that will continue for the foreseeable future.โ
Announcing the 2017 gift to Dalhousie, Irving said: โWith this gift, we are happy to support the Faculty of Engineering at Dalhousie University, knowing that we look to Dalhousie and other universities in Atlantic Canada for our best employees at Irving Oil. โAtlantic Canadaโs success depends on the quality and skills of our youth, and we know Dalhousie is up to the challenge.โ
Dal awards Sandra Irving an honorary degree
Irving returned to Dalhousie in 2019 when his wife Sandra L. Irving (LLD'19), a community leader and advocate for healthcare education and research, received an honorary degree. In her remarks at Dalhousie's Spring 2019 Convocation, Sandra said, "Arthur, thank you for working hard all your life to make our gifts to others possible."
Sandra Irving talking to students at the official opening of the Irving Oil Auditorium.
The Dalhousie community is deeply grateful for the impact Arthur had and the example he set. Flags are being lowered on campus in honor of Arthur Irving's long-standing connections and contributions to Dal and the region.
