Photos: Courtesy of Samir and Marie Chater

Samir Chater (BEng’79) believes in the power of diversity and representation. As a structural civil engineer and real estate developer with a career spanning over 40 years, Samir became keenly aware of who was missing from professional fields and felt compelled to personally bring about positive change.

In the fall of 2020, Samir and his wife Marie established two scholarships and a bursary at Dalhousie to help support undergraduate students through their studies while increasing diversity and representation on campus.

• The Samir & Marie Chater Scholarship is available to Indigenous students attending Dalhousie, with preference given to students studying engineering.
• The Samir & Marie Chater Scholarship in Nursing is available to students from historically marginalized communities.
• The Samir & Marie Chater Bursary is available to students who identify as single parents pursuing any undergraduate degree.

Originally born in Lebanon, Samir and his family immigrated to Halifax from Senegal in 1974. Since he had been formally educated in French, he elected to complete the first three years of his engineering degree at Université de Moncton. However, a desire to challenge himself and become proficient in English led Samir to completing his degree at Dal.

 “I was very apprehensive about transferring universities, as the last two years of any engineering degree are full of technical terms that were, at the time, completely unknown to me. I had four or five dictionaries I consulted to do my coursework. It was a challenge, but ultimately, I was very happy to have done it. I fulfilled my goal.”

After graduating, Samir went on to pursue a master’s degree at the Université de Sherbrooke and worked as an engineering consultant in both Montreal and Halifax. In 1992, Samir established his own real estate development business and spent more than 30 years at its helm.

Providing critical support and opportunities to students

After taking a step back from his business in 2012, Samir realized he had more time to focus on his family, travel, and on giving back to his community.

Dal was one of the places that Samir and Marie aligned on when determining where they should give. Samir notes that the decision to create these student awards came from an interest in increasing representation within academic faculties and professions. The engineering scholarship was a natural fit, but he also chose to set up a scholarship in nursing because while spending time in doctor’s office and hospitals, he noticed the predominance of white women in that profession. He was surprised to learn that by establishing these awards at Dal he was creating opportunities for students where none previously existed.

“When I established these awards, I felt there was an opportunity to provide new ways of supporting people as they study,” he says. “It also showed me that there are more needs that can be addressed.”

Samir hopes that these scholarships will encourage students who did not see a place for themselves in programs like engineering and nursing. He also hopes that his story of giving will inspire his peers to create similar opportunities for others.

“While I would stress that it is important to give to your direct community, it is equally as important to give to those you do not know,” he says. “You don’t have to be a billionaire to give – give what you can, give to what you believe in and you will make a difference.”