By: Elizabeth MacDonald
Photography: Nick Pearce

The late Kent C. Hurley left his mark on the School of Architecture during his time as a professor. His impact will continue through an estate gift.

For close to 23 years, one name was synonymous with the School of Architecture’s co-operative education program: Professor Kent Hurley.

Remembered as a vibrant, intelligent and generous man, devoted to his students, the late Hurley built the fledgling initiative – the first of its kind in Canada – into the country’s leading co-op learning experience for aspiring architects and later, land use planning students.  And thanks to a $120,000 gift from his estate, his legacy will continue to inspire and support students in Dalhousie’s School of Architecture.

The Kent C. Hurley Architectural Fund will support the academic mission of the school in four areas: recruitment, outreach, teaching and research. “Kent’s gift speaks to the culture of our school and what this place means to both students and faculty,” says Diogo Burnay, Director of the School of Architecture. “The fund will serve as a catalyst, enabling us to encourage talent and promise among current and future students.”

A native of Rochester, NY, Hurley arrived at the Technical University of Nova Scotia (TUNS) in 1970 via a less-than-traditional career route. After spending his early years teaching English across the US and in Turkey, Hurley served with the US Army in Europe, where he directed the 7^th Army Repertory Theatre Company and subsequently managed its symphony orchestra. Prior to his TUNS appointment, he managed the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra for 10 years.

In the process, Hurley earned a Bachelor of Arts from Cornell, a Master of Arts from the University of Rochester and his Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Manitoba. As assistant dean in the Faculty of Architecture, Hurley “was in charge of getting things done,” explains Stephen Parcell, who is a professor and undergraduate and graduate coordinator for the School of Architecture.

The Kent C. Hurley Architectural Fund will inspire and support architecture students, like those pictured here working on a project.

But it was his passion for co-op education that defined him. “His forte was building relationships, whether with students, co-op employers or alumni,” recalls Purcell, “Kent was our person on the frontlines, always on the phone, writing letters or travelling to meet prospective employers across the country and beyond.”

Most of all, Hurley was a fierce advocate for his co-op students. “He knew their backgrounds, where they wanted to work — and then would help them secure their choice positions,” adds Parcell.

Outside of work, Hurley was never seen without his beloved English bulldog by his side. “He loved his dog, his art and, most of all, travel,” recalls Martha Barnstead, who worked as Hurley’s secretary until his retirement in 1993. “An historian with a passion for art and architecture, he’d visited every major city in the world.”

Forty-eight years on, the Dalhousie School of Architecture’s co-op program continues to serve as a role model for other programs across the country. “The fact that 40 per cent of our students come from Western Canada is a living testament to Kent’s effectiveness in building and maintaining our national network of employers,” says Parcell.

“In this same way, the fund will help ensure future students will continue to achieve and excel.”