Beedie Luminaries, the scholarship foundation founded by Ryan Beedie, President of Beedie and philanthropist, is calling on Grade 12 students in B.C. who are facing financial adversity to apply for one of 105 scholarships available in 2021. Recipients will each receive up to $40,000 towards their post-secondary studies at any public university, college or trade school in B.C.
Last year, students from 25 municipalities across the province – including three students in northern B.C. – won the award.
“This scholarship does a lot more than help you financially,” said Brooke Ashdown, a Beedie Luminaries scholarship recipient from Fort St. John. “It also gives you a community of mentors and fellow students who are there to support you, which is so important when you are entering your first year of university – especially in a year as chaotic as this one.”
Past scholarship recipients have demonstrated not only academic readiness, but also shared compelling personal stories of adversity and resilience. Among the 2020 recipients, over 70 per cent live in rental or social housing, 48 per cent come from single-parent or foster families, and 26 per cent are the first in their family to attend post-secondary.
Beedie Luminaries launched on November 13, 2018 with a $50 million donation from Ryan Beedie to coincide with his 50th birthday. In its inaugural year, the program was only open to students from Metro Vancouver, but expanded to include students from all over B.C in its second year.
“It is more important than ever to eliminate the cost barriers that keep deserving B.C. students from pursuing their post-secondary education,” said Beedie. “I have been blown away by the tremendous success of our students in their post-secondary studies so far and how they have come together to support each other, showing their determination and resilience.”
In addition to receiving scholarship funds of up to $40,000, recipients are also given access to mentors, Stay on Trackstudent coaches, peer support groups, paid summer internship opportunities, and access to the Beedie Luminaries online community.
It was Ryan 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. This year, Ryan Beedie was inducted into the Order of British Columbia for his significant contribution to making B.C. a better place to live.
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 13, 2021 at 9:00 am PST. Successful applicants will be announced in early May 2021. The program is open to students planning to pursue undergraduate degrees or diploma studies at any public university, college or trade school in B.C.