Impact of Giving

Education was central to the lives of both John (BA’50, BEd’58, PD-ED’74) and Isabel Hildebrand. From their first meeting, through the raising of their children, to their ongoing legacy, the value and importance of higher learning underpinned their lives together. It was a natural decision for them to include scholarship support in their estate planning.

The Dr. John F.T. and Isabel Hildebrand Scholarship, valued at $5,000 each, is awarded annually to two students from the Maritime provinces who are entering their third or fourth year of study. The scholarship was made possible thanks to a $271,000 endowment from the Hildebrands’ estate, with similar endowments left to Mount Allison University and St. Thomas University. 

Isabel and John met in May of 1947, while John was pursuing an arts degree at UNB and Isabel was a bachelor of science student at Mount Allison. Education brought them together: they met at an inter-university event in Sussex, N.B. Both had worked extensively to raise the funds necessary for their degrees, so they had a particular understanding of the value of scholarship funding.

“They knew it was a challenge financially to fund an education,” says the Hildebrand’s daughter, Linda. “It was then, and it is now — and they recognized that.”

John and Isabel each graduated in 1950 and were married the same year. They were married for 68 years and had five children, all of whom went on, with their parents’ encouragement, to complete university educations.

Over the decades, education remained at the heart of their lives. John had a distinguished career as an educator, including many years as Superintendent of Schools in the Fredericton area. In 1977, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by St Thomas University in recognition of his work in education, which included the development of a French Immersion program in Fredericton schools. Isabel was active in the many New Brunswick communities the couple called home, including as a pianist and soloist. And she was always ready to talk science. “Of the five kids in the family, four of us have science degrees,” says the couple’s son, John. “Dad was an educator, and he was good, but it was Mom I could talk to about chemistry.

“It comes down to education, which was always important in the family,” he adds. “Education stuck to us.”

Learn more about estate planning with UNB here.

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