Interview description

Mary Anne Chambers, former Ontario Member of Provincial Parliament (2003 – 2007) and Senior Vice-President of Scotiabank, completed her degree at the University of Toronto Scarborough in 1988. In the interview, Chambers highlights the impact that the University has had on her life while pursuing her academic and professional interests. She gives examples from various points in her career, including the support she received from students as she ran for the Legislative Assembly and the opportunities that she created as a UofT donor and member of Governing Council. Chambers shares in detail some of the initiatives that she has led and supported at UofT, in particular the Imani Academic Mentorship Program, which aims to address systemic barriers that create disproportionate access to post-secondary education. She connects this work to how she sees her role as an advocate and her deep commitment to the East Scarborough community, as well as broadly discussing the positive impacts of community involvement and giving back.

Organizations

• University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC)
• Governing Council – UofT
• Academic Resource Centre – UTSC
• Imani Academic Mentorship Program
• Government of Ontario
• Black Students’ Association, UTSC

Subject Topics

• Mature students
• Mentorship
• Accessibility of post-secondary education
• Racial justice
• Financial barriers to education
• Community partnership
• Community involvement
• Equity in education
• Philanthropy

Citation: University of Toronto Archives. Oral History Collection on Student Activism. Oral history interview with Mary Anne Chambers conducted by Ruth Belay, 18 February 2020. A2020-0010/008S.