Gratitude Day - Hilda Schweitzer

May 9th is Gratitude Day at the University of Alberta. Throughout the day, Golden Bears & Pandas Athletics will be thanking alumni and donors who came together to support our student-athletes. 

We want to take a moment to reflect on the impact of your generosity and to say — thank you!

Golden Bears & Pandas Athletics will be featuring a handful of long-time donors on Gratitude Day with feature stories about the impact of their generosity.

Growing up on a farm outside of Beaverlodge, Alberta in the 1950’s, opportunities — both educational and financial — were hard to come by. 

But when a public bursary from the county became available, Hilda Schweitzer, BEd ’65, made the most of it. Schweitzer, one of six children, completed the first half of her degree in 1959 and 1960, before teaching for two years in Grande Prairie. She came to the University of Alberta in 1963, completing her education degree while spending two seasons playing with the Pandas Basketball program. 

The butterfly effect of Schweitzer receiving a bursary to attend university had a resounding effect, leading to an opportunity to be a student-athlete, a successful teaching career, and now trickling down all the way to today’s female student-athletes at the University of Alberta.

“I really loved being a Panda, it was great. I was fortunate to meet lots of people, and got to do a little traveling," said Schweitzer. "And I was able to play quite a bit and be on the court a lot during those two years.”

Schweitzer first taught in Edmonton at McKernan Jr High, teaching physical education, health and math, while also coaching basketball, volleyball and track & field. 

She then moved to Jasper Place Composite High School, spending nearly three decades there teaching and coaching. 

Schweitzer first began giving back while still working as a teacher, supporting her former students participating in University Sport — at one time she had nine former students competing at schools across Alberta. 

However an unfortunate health scare after her retirement forced Schweitzer to look at the larger picture. That was when she created an endowment in her name in 2011, with the proceeds supporting scholarships for a Panda on any team, based on level of excellence shown in their chosen sport, the potential to develop as a significant contributor to the Pandas Athletics program in the future, contributions made to their sport, and academic standing. 

Reflecting on how the bursary she received made a positive impact on her own life, Schweitzer knew first-hand how her own generosity could support current student-athletes. Along with her own experiences, Schweitzer had a pair of family members compete for the Golden Bears & Pandas; Her nephew Darwin Schweitzer, who played defensive line for Golden Bears Football from 1984-87, and her niece Carla Kufeldt, who won a pair of national titles with Pandas Rugby in 2002 and 2003. 

Schweitzer is one of countless former Pandas who have made a positive contribution to their communities. Doctors, teachers, coaches, mothers, entrepreneurs, leaders; the list is endless. And it would be hard to find an athletics alumni who couldn’t speak on how the experience of being a student-athlete helped them achieve what they have post-graduation.