$2 million from Joyce Family Foundation bolsters students from rural areas of Quebec and Canada
The Joyce Family Foundation Bursary for Rural Students will allow for nine to 14 financial awards to be annually disbursed on a renewable basis to undergraduate students, regardless of faculty.
Students from rural communities in Quebec and Canada are at the heart of a new bursary program made possible thanks to a $2-million gift to the Campaign for Concordia: Next-Gen Now from the Joyce Family Foundation.
Established by the late Ronald V. Joyce, co-founder of Tim Hortons, the foundation’s primary focus is to provide access to education for children and youth with significant financial need or who face other socio-economic barriers to success.
That philanthropic mission aligns well with Concordia’s values, says President Graham Carr.
“Our institution has a proud history of extending opportunities to a wide range of students,” says Carr. “Rural communities have played an immense role in the development of Quebec and Canada. Many of those communities are now under significant pressure. We deeply appreciate how the Joyce Family Foundation is empowering young people from remote regions across the country to have a positive impact on their communities and society as a whole.”
The Joyce Family Foundation Bursary for Rural Students will allow for nine to 14 financial awards to be annually disbursed on a renewable basis to undergraduate students, regardless of faculty. Preference will be given to students who have fewer avenues for funding or support.
“We are proud to partner with Concordia University to help foster the academic and professional ambitions of students from rural areas in Canada,” stated the Honorable Ed Lumley, Chair of the Joyce Family Foundation. “Our founder, Ron Joyce, firmly believed in education and hard work as a catalyst for change. He would have urged future bursary recipients to passionately follow their dreams and leverage their talents to uplift their families and communities”
Concordia aims to identify an applicant pool for the new bursary that comprises two-thirds of students from Quebec and one-third from the rest of Canada.
Recipients will be eligible for and encouraged to take advantage of resources offered through the Student Success Centre as well as Beat the Odds, a donor-supported internship program that facilitates professional mentorships, workshops, peer networks and more.
Adds Paul Chesser, BA 94, GrDip 97, vice-president of University Advancement: “We are deeply grateful that the Joyce Family Foundation has chosen Concordia to steward this bursary program to further the aspirations and goals of our rural-student population.”