Albert Tucker's love of history is now reflected in one of two new awards that will directly benefit young scholars. Tucker, a former dean of Glendon College and professor emeritus of history, has pledged $100,000 to York University. His gift will result in two awards: The Albert Tucker Award for Graduate Studies in British History and The Albert Tucker Scholarship for Undergraduate Students, Glendon College.

    Tucker's gift of $50,000 for each award is doubled under the provincial government's matching funds program, bringing the total value for each award up to $100,000 apiece.

    Tucker started teaching at Glendon College in 1966, and was principal from 1970-75. He served in the Second World War, and studied at Harvard before joining Glendon's history faculty.

    "I consider myself very lucky to have gone into an academic career," says Tucker. "To be able to spend 27 years doing something you enjoy is fortunate indeed."

    Tucker established his award to complement another award established in honour of York history professor Ramsay Cook which is supporting students studying Canadian history. Tucker's award will assist those students studying British history. Tucker says he feels strongly about supporting students studying British history because of the quality of York's faculty in the graduate program, and because he wanted to make sure "all bases were covered" in York's history department.