Class of ’75 alumnus, Leo Yasuchenko, studied, worked, participated in his community, and made lifelong friends – a life well lived. He was also a generous supporter of education who entrusted his legacy to the leaders in Engineering who know what today’s students need.
Hiring undergraduate students to work together with faculty members has enabled innovation in the Engineering undergraduate curriculum and adapted courses to the future needs of students and industry. According to Carlos Filipe, Chair of the department of chemical engineering, this is just one outcome from the generous legacy gifted by a Class of ’75 alumnus, Leo Yasuchenko (1951-2019).
After attending Westdale Secondary and Hamilton Collegiate, Leo graduated with a degree in chemical engineering from McMaster. A systems engineer with Dow Chemical Canada and Suncor, Leo organized baseball teams and made lifelong friends as a member of community groups in Sarnia. He is remembered for his gentlemanly manner, his wry sense of humour, and his love of sports, science fiction, and the outdoors.
Thanks to his thoughtful planning, Leo will be known to a new group of undergraduate students as an alumnus who created rewarding learning experiences.
The gift made by Leo Yasuchenko has given the opportunity for current undergraduate students, and future Chemical Engineers, to perform cutting-edge research in labs here at McMaster as well as abroad. This gift is an investment in the future and a reminder of the importance of generosity as a key trait of a well-rounded Engineer.
Through his estate, Leo bequeathed a planned gift via his registered retirement plans to augment his past generous support of Mac’s department of chemical engineering. Carlos is thrilled to be the one delivering Leo’s gift to the students in the form of educational opportunities, “The gift made by Leo to Chemical Engineering will have a long-lasting impact.”
If you are considering including McMaster University, or if you have already included McMaster in your estate plans, please tell us why you have made this powerful and thoughtful decision. You can reach our gift planning team member, Jenn Walsom, at walsomj@mcmaster.ca or at 905-525-9140 ext. 28700.
Naming McMaster University as a beneficiary to a registered retirement fund, such as a RRSP or a RRIF, like Leo did, or by adding a gift to your will, is an excellent way to support generations of MacEng students and researchers, with little or no effect on your current finances. You can have a significant impact on the future in a way that is deeply meaningful to you.
