Guelph Community Foundation awards 17 local students with $29,000 in scholarships, bursaries

GUELPH – The Guelph Community Foundation and fundholders have awarded 17 scholarships and bursaries this year.

These exceptional students are receiving grants setup by generous community fundholders to help local Guelph and Wellington County students achieve their goals.

Many of these grants support students pursuing business, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) related subjects, trades, athletics or those facing financial barriers. All of this year’s recipients demonstrated curiosity, creativity, respect for others, their community and have shown tremendous potential.

SmithValeriote Education bursary

Recognizing that students need more financial support in this unprecedented, challenging year, the SmithValeriote Education bursary has granted double their usual amount, awarding $20,000 to four students in Guelph and Wellington County.

These are students whose potential is only limited by their need for financial assistance.

This year’s recipients of the SmithValeriote Education bursary received $5,000 each and include:

– Shakira Dicks from Wellington Heights Secondary School in Mount Forest;

– Griffin Anderson from St. James Catholic High School in Guelph;

– Emily Fuller from St. John Bosco Secondary School in Guelph; and

– Joshua Langdon from St. John Bosco Secondary School in Guelph.

This year, The Guelph Community Foundation also supported a $500 Indigenous Youth Award presented by the Rotary Club of Guelph. This award is part of the Turtle Island Heritage Festival in Wellington County.

Within these scholarship and bursary recipients are aspiring entrepreneurs, doctors, electricians and social workers.

“We sincerely thank our fundholders and anonymous donors who fund these scholarships and bursaries,” officials say.

“They have taken the initiative to support youth through their philanthropic goals.

“The creation of these awards is often in memory of someone important to their family.

“Our fundholders believe it’s important to remove financial barriers to success and reward outstanding students who choose post-secondary education.”

Financial barriers for students are high and on the rise.

These scholarships, while a big help to 17 deserving students, only scratch the surface.

“If you are interested in learning more about how you or your family can create a scholarship or bursary or are looking at ways to support students in our community, please contact the Foundation at guelphcf.ca,” officials say.

The Foundation’s volunteer Grants Committee in partnership with school administration helped to determine the following recipients.

Mary Phelan Scholarship

– James Malone from Bishop Macdonell Catholic High School, $1,000.

Angelo and Rina Longo Scholarship

– Adam Zen from Bishop Macdonell Catholic High School, $500;

– Paul Entice from Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic High School, $500; and

– Karolina Antonio from St. James Catholic High School, $500.

John A Hourigan Memorial Award

– Matthew MacEachern from Bishop MacDonell Catholic High School, $200;

– Dina Oliveira from Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic High School, $200; and

– Mary Quirk from St. James Catholic High School, $200.

Eric Goegan Scholarship Award

– Jessica Reia from Bishop Macdonell Catholic High School, $500.

Iolanda Maugeri Hall Business Education Bursary

– Pricillia Utami from Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic High School, $3,500.

Frank Taylor Bursary

– Nancy Vo from Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic High School, $200.

Class of ‘71 Kathryn Winegard Memorial Scholarship

– Sherry Fan from Centennial Collegiate Vocational Institute, $500.

Bruce Graham Memorial Fund – Women in STEM Scholarship

– Noorain Mamdani from Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute, $1,000.