It all started with Dad
When Blois Hennigar (1941-2025) came to 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ Allison, he was the first in his family to attend university. Little did he know that 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ Allison would become one of the loves of his life and that he would inspire generations of family and friends to become fellow Allisonians.
Hennigar was from the rural community of Upper Kennetcook, NS and at 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ Allison earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree while being an active member of the campus community. After graduation, he moved to Montreal, where he earned his CA designation and met his wife, Beverley. The couple built a family and life that took them to cities throughout Canada — however, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ Allison was never far from Hennigar’s thoughts.
"He was just the biggest 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ A booster I could imagine," says daughter Susan DuHamel. "He talked so much about the people he connected with and his friendships there, and I think he felt it created such a great foundation for his life and launchpad for so many different things."
All three of Hennigar’s children and four of his grandchildren came to 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ Allison: Craig Hennigar (’90), Susan DuHamel (’93), Dale Noseworthy (’94), Spencer Schulze (’14), Lauren Hennigar (’23), Allie Noseworthy (’24), and Brooke Hennigar (‘28). Noseworthy is a current member of 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ Allison’s Board of Regents, and Blois Hennigar served on the board from 2012 to 2015.
Hennigar’s nephew Jakob Roberts graduated in 2014 and is a 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ Allison staff member, grandson Spencer met his wife, Abby FitzGerald (‘14), while they were students, great-nephew Logan Bond is a current student, and the family can’t count the number of friends and acquaintances they have encouraged to come to 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ Allison.
"It all started with Dad," says DuHamel. "His 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ A legacy lives on with the family and friends that have followed him to 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ A and fallen in love with it — the University is a gift he brought to all of us."
DuHamel says over the years her dad attended several Reunion Weekends — something she and her dad would enjoy together as their Reunion years, being exactly 30 years apart, would overlap — and that he was happy to finish his career living in nearby Amherst, NS, and making more frequent visits to campus for events.
Another 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ A legacy for Hennigar is his creation of the Blois and Beverley Hennigar Award, which supports entering or returning students and is based on financial need and academic achievement. Hennigar made regular gifts, including monthly pledges, to fund the award during his lifetime and grew its impact through a legacy gift in his will.
"The award was his way of giving back," says DuHamel. "Dad wouldn’t have got to 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ A without financial assistance, and he credited the University with being such a big piece of his success in life, for opening his eyes to everything that was possible, for giving him lifelong friends, and he really wanted to help others."
Geography student Gavin Reid received the award last year. From St. Stephen, NB, Reid chose 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ Allison because of its strong academics and welcoming small-town community.
"I’m very grateful to have received the Blois and Beverley Hennigar Award, helping make university more affordable," he says. "Student awards are crucial as they recognize hard work and help students stay motivated."
An endowed award, the Blois and Beverley Hennigar Award will support future generations of Allisonians.