Two Comox Valley students can focus more on their studies and less on finances thanks to Beedie Luminaries.
Hailey Brears of Highland Secondary and James Fazeli-Sinaki of Mark R. Isfeld Senior Secondary each received $ 40,000 in scholarships through the program.
The Beedie Luminaries program seeks students who not only have shown a strong academic readiness but who are also committed to the world around them and who have embraced life’s challenges and adversities with determination and optimism. These scholarships recognize the resilience and determination of students while reducing the financial pressures associated with post-secondary studies.
“For the past three years the students we’ve met through our program have been overwhelmed and I can’t wait to see what impact they will have on the world,” said Ryan Beedie, founder of Beedie Luminaries. “By getting to know their families and recognizing the barriers single parents face, we saw the potential to expand our program to include single parents looking to improve their education.”
Recipients will receive either a $ 15,000 grant (two-year program) or a $ 40,000 grant (four-year program).
Both Brears and Fazeli-Sinaki were accepted into the four-year UBC programs.
Fazeli-Sinaki is completing a Bachelor of Commerce from UBC Sauder School of Business, while Brears will attend UBC Okanagan’s campus for her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.
“I was shocked when I got the call,” said Brears.
She applied for the scholarship through GrantMe.ca, a Canadian scholarship “matching” company that assists students with the scholarship application process.
“So I found (Beedie Luminaries) there,” said Brears. “I applied, had to post a video on YouTube, then they called me for an interview … that I had in the back of my biology class at school. It was a little nerve wracking, but it was fun. In mid-April they called me to tell me that I belong to the 2021 cohort. “
Brears is the first member of her family to complete post-secondary education.
“I didn’t think I had a big chance, but then I got the call and wow, I paid for the first four years in college,” said Brears. “It’s such a relief. My parents are divorced so we didn’t have a lot of money set aside. It was always a tough time with money through high school – we were definitely financially unstable at times, so I was planning on taking out a student loan … I was planning on working full time during school which I know would not have gone well . Now I just have to learn. “
Fazeli-Sinaki had similar feelings.
“Receiving this exceptional scholarship means having a huge financial burden off my shoulders and having a group of extremely passionate people at Beedie Luminaries support me from day one to graduation day,” he said. “The benefits of my college education no longer come with a debt that I have to pay off in my 20s. I will work as hard as possible to make sure that I exceed the expectations of those who supported and believed in me. “
Fazeli-Sinaki comes from a single family and said the prospect of higher education would not be realistic without this scholarship.
“My mother raised me alone since I was three and was unable to work for a year and a half with a brain injury,” said Fazeli-Sinaki. “As much as I’ve always wanted to go to UBC, realistically I wouldn’t have made it if I hadn’t received this scholarship. It would have been completely inaccessible. “
This year’s 12th grade students come from 65 high schools in 26 communities, with 35 percent being the first in their immediate family to complete post-secondary education and 75 percent from single parent or parenting families.
Beedie Luminaries kicked off 2018 with a $ 50 million donation from Ryan Beedie that coincided with his 50th birthday. To date, the program has awarded 335 scholarships to students across the province.
In addition to funding up to $ 40,000 per student, recipients are matched with mentors and receive paid work opportunities, stay on track student support, invitations to special events, and access to the Beedie Luminaries online community.
Incoming 12th grade students and single parents wishing to apply for next year’s cohort are encouraged to follow Beedie Luminaries on social media or visit beedieluminaries.ca. The application phase for the 2022 cohort begins in autumn 2021.
-With files from Beedie Lunimaries
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terry.farrell@blackpress.ca
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source https://collegeeducationnewsllc.com/two-comox-valley-students-receive-40000-beedie-luminaries-scholarships-comox-valley-record/
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