When Darcy BETT MacLeod’84 shifted careers into home inspection in her 50s, she entered a completely male-dominated field. “Men used to hang up on me,” she recalls. “They thought Darcy would be a man.”

A decade later, Brick House Home Inspection in Collingwood, Ontario, is thriving—thanks to Darcy’s meticulous eye for detail, her willingness to tackle dusty attics and crawl spaces, and her hands-on expertise with furnaces. And that’s exactly why she made a gift to the iCAST Equipment Fund, helping students access the same tools used in leading design, engineering and media labs. Renewing her support for the school for the first time in a decade, the Equipment Registry had personal resonance for her. Darcy loved the ability to select a specific piece of equipment, designated for particular workspaces within iCAST, that directly enriches the student experience.

“I hope some amazing Branksome graduates will find a trade like I have, using skills taught in these classes,” Darcy says.

Although she was a star athlete—holding the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) javelin record for 25 years—Darcy remembers fewer “opportunities for students who weren’t strictly academic achievers.

“It’s wonderful to give back and help girls who are more creative or technical, who want to work with their hands,” she says. “There’s no reason a student can’t go into trades and still be the epitome of a Branksome girl.” She’s thrilled to help students gain the confidence to make a cutting board or learn to solder.

Darcy herself is an inspiring role model for future Branksome girls and their potential career paths:

“I’m technical and visual and tactile, and I see things in different ways. I’m good at explaining and helping people make an educated purchase decision. Because buying a house is the most expensive decision most people will ever make.”

Learn more about supporting the iCAST Equipment Fund.