Scholarship recipients will each receive up to $40,000,
access to mentors, a student coach, and paid internship opportunities.
(Vancouver, B.C., Nov. 13, 2019) – Real estate developer and philanthropist Ryan Beedie is expanding the Beedie Luminaries scholarship program across the province to provide 105 promising students who are facing financial adversity with up to $40,000 to fund their post-secondary studies at any public university, college or trade school within B.C. This is up from the 80 scholarships awarded in the program’s first year, which were open to students in Metro Vancouver only.
“After the success of Beedie Luminaries’ inaugural year, I knew that I wanted to expand the program and extend support to deserving, resilient students from all over B.C.,” says Ryan Beedie, founder and principal benefactor to Beedie Luminaries. “Financial hardship should not stop talented British Columbians from pursuing higher education and realizing their full potential.”
Beedie Luminaries launched on November 13, 2018, with a $50-million donation from Ryan Beedie, coinciding with his 50th birthday. The program announced its first cohort of 80 students in May 2019. The chosen recipients demonstrated not only academic readiness but also shared compelling personal stories of adversity and resilience. Twenty-seven per cent of recipients are the first in their family to pursue post-secondary education, 38 per cent come from single-parent households and 60 per cent live in rental housing.
“Having been selected for this award has given me much more optimism towards my future and I am confident that I will be better able to serve my community as a direct result,” says Simren Cogley, a 2019 Beedie Luminaries scholarship recipient and student at SFU.
In addition to up to $40,000 in scholarship funds, recipients are also given access to mentors, paid summer internship opportunities, Stay on Track student support and access to the Beedie Luminaries online community.
It was Beedie’s experience growing up in Burnaby and seeing friends who did not have the same opportunities to attend post-secondary education as he did that motivated him to create Beedie Luminaries. The creation and expansion of this scholarship program is in line with the “Built for Good” philosophy that drives Beedie’s corporate and philanthropic activities.
Grade 12 B.C. students looking to apply for a Beedie Luminaries scholarship can do so online at BeedieLuminaries.ca. The deadline for applications is January 20, 2020 at 9:00 am PST. Successful applicants will be announced in early May 2020. The program is open to students planning to pursue undergraduate degrees or diploma studies at any public university, college or trade school within B.C.
About Beedie Luminaries:
Beedie Luminaries is a registered foundation and a non-profit society that helps promising British Columbia students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds overcome barriers to education. The foundation’s mission is built on the premise that further education can enhance future career opportunities, and fundamentally create positive societal outcomes. The program offers financial support to students applying to British Columbia public post-secondary institutions, including universities, colleges and trade schools. www.BeedieLuminaries.ca
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Media Contact
Gwen Hardy
Elettra Communications
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