When Joe Stanziani decided to honour his mother’s legacy by working with a post-secondary institution known to have a highly regarded Education program, it didn’t take him long to land on Brock University.

With the exception of one of her grandchildren graduating from Brock last year, Stanziani’s mother Angela Stanziani’s connection to Brock was more about the deep-seeded value she placed in education.

The generous gift from the Stanziani family will be used to create an endowed award known as the Angela L. Stanziani Educator Bursary.

“Our mother was a firm believer in the value of education and was a teacher and educator all the days of her life,” said Joe Stanziani. “We’re extremely proud of the legacy she has left behind and all the valuable lessons she taught us as a mom and teacher.”

The award will be given each year to a student in need of financial assistance studying in Brock’s Teacher Education program, with preference given to students who plan to pursue teaching special education.

Born in San Francisco in 1938, Angela Stanziani was an only child to her father Frank Stanz, a chef, and her stay-at-home mother Cecilia. After graduating from the All-Girls College of Notre Dame in San Francisco with a Bachelor of Arts Education Degree and two teaching credentials, Angela spent three years teaching elementary school in California before marrying Dr. Victor Stanziani of Hamilton, Ontario in 1963

The couple moved to Hamilton and started a family, having six children from 1965 to 1975 including Victor Jr., John, Frank, Joseph, Cecilia and Mary.

Angela put her teaching degree to good use, raising and teaching the children in their early years as a stay-at-home mom. When the kids started attending elementary school, she volunteered at their school, and continued doing so for many years after they had moved on to secondary school and beyond.

Angela passed away at her home in Binbrook on April 19, 2020.

In looking for a way to leave a lasting legacy in honour of his mother, Joe Stanziani decided a bursary to help future students would be exactly what she would have wanted.

“Our family truly hopes that the recipients of this award become great teachers and carry on her passion and dedication to the profession of teaching and to the education of young boys and girls who turn out to be good young men and young women,” he said.