Buddhist Association Announces Largest Gift in Emmanuel’s History
The Venerable Dayi Shi presented Emmanuel College Principal HyeRan Kim-Cragg with a cheque for the first $1 million of a $3 million commitment at a reception. (Photos by Joe Howell)
By Leslie Shepherd
Victoria University’s Emmanuel College received the largest gift in its history Wednesday, a $3 million commitment from the Buddhist Association of Canada to endow the Wutai Shan Venerable Dayi Professorship in Buddhist Spiritual Care.
This will be the first professorship for Buddhist spiritual care in Canada and it will support a scholar with both academic rigor and professional credentials.
Victoria University President Dr. Rhonda McEwen said the gift was both greatly appreciated and timely. Emmanuel College is celebrating the 10th anniversary this academic year of the creation of the Buddhist focus for its Master of Psychospiritual Studies program, joining the Christian and Muslim foci. Emmanuel is the only academic institution in Canada to offer a fully accredited program in Buddhist spiritual care.
“I am deeply grateful to the Venerable Dayi Shi and his entire team for their dedicated service and their trust in our school,” she said. “And I am impressed with this commitment to the future of Buddhist studies and spirituality.”
The Buddhist Association of Canada said it was establishing the professorship “to ensure that Buddhist teachings positively impact individuals and communities alike, driven by our compassion to help those who suffer and to offer them inner peace and guidance.”
The Venerable Dayi Shi presented Emmanuel College Principal HyeRan Kim-Cragg with a cheque for the first $1 million of the commitment at a reception Wednesday evening at the school.
The professorship is named after the Wutai Shan Buddhist Garden, which officially opened to the public in April and serves as a significant cultural and spiritual platform. It also honors Venerable Dayi Shi for his contributions as president of the Buddhist Association of Canada and abbot of Wutai Shan Buddhist Garden. Venerable Dayi Shi has been a Buddhist monk for more than four decades and has studied extensively both Eastern and Western traditions.
The professor who holds the new position will focus on spiritual well-being, by integrating Buddhist principles with therapeutic practices. They will also mentor students in the Master of Psychospiritual Studies program, preparing them to become chaplains and spiritual care leaders in hospitals, educational institutions, senior homes, prisons, other public institutions, and in Buddhist temples.
“Our goal is to cultivate an inclusive and respectful environment within both the institution and the broader community, enabling students to navigate the complexities of a multicultural and multifaith society,” said the Venerable Dayi Shi. “Ultimately, we envision this professorship inspiring students, enlightening minds, and nurturing the flourishing of Buddhist wisdom, thereby creating a meaningful impact on individuals and communities alike.”
A search is underway to fill the professorship for the 2025–26 academic year.
“This amazing gift to Emmanuel College is the largest of its kind ever received by Emmanuel,” Principal Kim-Cragg said. “It will allow us to grow our Buddhist program and better train students on how to offer Buddhist spiritual therapeutic care, the mind-body-spirit holistic approach to healing, and educate leaders.”
Henry Shiu, the Shi Wu De Assistant Professor in Chinese Buddhist Studies at Emmanuel, said the professorship will help strengthen the school’s Buddhist spiritual care program “at a time when our society, which is increasingly multicultural and diverse, faces growing needs in spiritual care.
“I believe this gift reflects not just a contribution to Emmanuel College but to the broader landscape of Canadian society with a vision for the future of spiritual care in Canada,” Shiu said. “This professorship also represents a direction in which Buddhism can grow and further develop to meet the spiritual needs of a changing Canadian society.”
With this gift, Emmanuel strengthens and deepens its partnership and collaboration with the Buddhist Association of Canada.
In February 2024, the Buddhist Association of Canada announced a $50,000 gift endowing the creation of The Venerable Dayi Shi Scholarship, which will be awarded annually to two Emmanuel College students pursuing studies with a Buddhist focus.
Emmanuel and the Buddhist College of Canada, which is affiliated with the Buddhist Association of Canada, also kicked off a joint non-degree continuing education program this fall under the Centre for Religion and Its Contexts. This program, whose classes are held at the Wutai Shan Buddhist Garden in Peterborough, Ont., covers the foundational principles of Buddhism and delves into its practical applications in contemporary life.
The college and the Buddhist Association are also collaborating to hold a major international Buddhist forum at Emmanuel in the summer of 2025. It would include delegates from Canada, the United States and China. Kim-Cragg said the forum would be one of the first major speaking engagements for the inaugural Wutai Shan Venerable Dayi Assistant Professor of Buddhist Spiritual Care.
“Emmanuel College is honoured by this relationship with the Buddhist Association of Canada,” Kim-Cragg said. “Together we are serving our community, modeling collaboration, supporting mental health and promoting well-being for individuals and groups.”
The Buddhist Association said the professorship will significantly enhance the breadth and depth of spiritual care education available to students.
“Our collaboration with Emmanuel College is crucial because it is the leading theological school in Canada, embracing a multifaith perspective and fosters an inclusive environment,” said the Venerable Dayi Shi. Establishing this professorship at Emmanuel College underscores our shared commitment to education. Together, we aim to promote peace, sustainable development, and a greater understanding among diverse communities.”