William Ingram knew the importance of a university education at an early age. As a boy, talking about the importance of education in one of his grade school classes, Ingram said the purpose of education is "to increase your enjoyment in life."

Ingram held on to that conversation and, never wavering in his belief, gifted the University of Regina a $1.2 million endowment to create opportunity for students.

A strong supporter of the liberal arts, he created the William Borden Ingram Award in 1995 to benefit students in the Faculty of Arts. In 2010, Ingram gifted the University its largest estate gift in history to endow his scholarship.

Seventeen students have since received scholarships. Recipient Megan Jalbert, a third year pre-police studies student, says the William Borden Ingram Award has provided her with wonderful opportunities.

"This award has allowed me to attend university and follow my dreams of becoming a police officer," says Jalbert. "I don't have to worry about working and I can focus on my studies."

The award grants undergraduate students $5,750 a year for four years, which, through the course of a degree program, totals $23,000. Two students entering a four-year program in the Faculty of Arts are chosen annually.

"Through this bountiful gift, Mr. Ingram has created an award that for decades to come will support students as they prepare to become leaders in their communities," said University of Regina President Vianne Timmons.

Jalbert says that an award like the William Ingram Borden Award is important for Arts students - it allows them to focus on an educational path and be successful in their career.

Ingram believed that a strong liberal arts education gives tomorrow's leaders the depth and vision they need. "I've come to realize that the more you know about the things that would get in an arts course, the more you're going to enjoy life."

Ingram grew up in Wolseley, Saskatchewan. He attended the Regina College from 1928-29 and completed his degree at the University of Saskatchewan in 1930. Following his service in the Second World War, he worked as an accountant at the Consumers' Co-operative Refineries Limited (CCRL) in Regina for 30 years until his retirement. He was 96 when he passed away.

Eligibility requirements and application deadline for the William Borden Ingram Award are located www.uregina./awards .