Huskies donors honoured with U Sports award

Two of the biggest donors to the University of Saskatchewan athletics program are being recognized for their contributions.

Ron and Jane Graham have been named the 2022 Mitchell Family Award recipients for U Sports Alumni of the Year.

Jane said the couple was surprised when they found out Tuesday morning, but called the award a big honour.

“As they say, we bleed green and white. It was just so nice to be recognized for what we’ve done at the university,” Graham said.

The Grahams have donated more than $30 million to the university’s athletics program since their first gift in 1995. They have helped fund projects on campus ranging from the Graham Huskie Clubhouse at Griffiths Stadium to the Ron and Jane Graham Sport Science and Health Centre at Merlis Belsher Place.

The pair said they continue to give back to the university because they cherished the time they spent there, and because so many other members of their family also attended classes there.

“We’ve had a long history of people experiencing the amazing four years, give or take a few, of what we received in that time. It changes your life, and we want to make sure that continues,” Graham added.

The Mitchell Family Award is given to former student-athletes who graduated from a Canadian university and have made significant and ongoing support to their school after graduating.

Ron and Jane both graduated from the university in 1962. Jane was a swimmer, while Ron was both quarterback of the football team and a member of the basketball team.

In addition to their major donations, the Grahams have been a part of boosting the experience for student athletes by providing scholarships, mentoring, coaching support, mental health and wellness support, and academic support.

“We don’t write a cheque and go away,” Graham added.

“We like to find projects, find things the university is lacking. We listen to the students. We listen to the faculty. We get involved in activities at the university and ask questions.”

In a statement, Huskie Athletics chief athletics officer Shannon Chinn said the Grahams have laid the foundation for programs to thrive into the future.

“For them, it’s never about just making a donation or about the recognition. Every donation is focused on making Huskie Athletics better today than it was yesterday,” Chinn said.

But all of their efforts don’t go towards athletics. Graham said the COVID-19 pandemic brought new challenges for everybody, and they are looking forward to helping assist with life on campus after the pandemic.

“It has affected all levels of education, so this is why we’ve been helping to increase the amount of counselling and help students can get, because of what COVID did to people. There is just new stress and new worries,” Graham said.

Even though Jane and Ron are able to contribute financially, Graham said donations don’t have to be monetary in nature.

“We hope to encourage other people to give to the university. As they say, it can be time, it can be talent, it can be treasure,” Graham said.

The Grahams were inducted into the Huskie Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007.