Student awardees reflect on the fund’s impact as long-serving trustee David Bates steps into a new chapter after forty years of stewardship.
Toronto, December 9, 2025 — Students in mathematics, statistics and actuarial science across the Faculty of Arts & Science are feeling the impact of the Samuel Beatty Fund, an independent trust that has supported academic excellence and student success at the University of Toronto for more than a century. This year’s award recipients say the recognition has eased financial pressure, strengthened their confidence and opened doors to experiences that have shaped their academic paths.
The fund is named for Dr. Samuel Beatty, U of T’s first Canadian-trained PhD in mathematics and later the university’s 21st Chancellor. His legacy of supporting promising students continues through the trust he established, guided for the past forty years by trustee emeritus David Bates.
When Bates first joined the trustees in 1985, the fund was invested entirely in bonds, a structure that made it difficult to keep pace with inflation. To strengthen its long-term sustainability, he recommended adopting a balanced investment approach and reinvesting part of the fund’s annual earnings. Over time, this strategy enabled steady growth that now supports regular scholarship disbursements for students across the Faculty. The fund now distributes close to $35,000 each year to support students and academic initiatives.
For recipients, the award has had an immediate and personal impact. One Statistics student and international student awardee shared that the support helped stabilize their academic year. “Receiving the Samuel Beatty Award eased part of my financial burden and allowed me to focus on my studies instead of worrying about living expenses,” they said.
It also supported my travel to present a poster at the Harvard PQG Conference, which strengthened my academic profile and contributed to my offer from Harvard’s master’s program.
An Actuarial Science student described how the award supported both academic and professional goals.
“The award reduced financial stress and supported opportunities like attending conferences and writing actuarial exams,” they said.
It made it possible for me to pass the FAM exam with the Society of Actuaries and reminded me that others believe in my goals.
Many students also noted the encouragement they felt through the recognition itself. One recipient said the award “affirmed the effort I’ve put into my studies and strengthened my confidence in pursuing Statistics,” while another reflected that it “renewed my sense of confidence and inspired me to give back to my community.”
Bates says this commitment to supporting students has guided the fund since its earliest years.
The fund was never meant to stay the same size,” he says. “It was meant to grow so it could continue opening doors for students, just as Sam Beatty did.
Students echo that intention. “Your generosity truly makes a difference,” one student said. “It eases financial stress, enables us to pursue academic opportunities with confidence and inspires us to give back.”
Another added, “Thank you for investing in our futures and helping us pursue our aspirations.”
As the fund continues to support students across the Faculty of Arts & Science, its impact reflects the values that shaped it from the beginning: expanding access, encouraging excellence and empowering students to pursue ambitious futures at the University of Toronto.