With an enthusiastic round of applause and the flash of several cameras, Memorial officially accepted a historic $5-million gift on Wednesday, Nov. 26, during a news conference to mark the single largest donation it has ever received from a foundation.

Memorial, along with College of the North Atlantic received combined gifts totalling $7 million from The Joyce Foundation. The foundation, created by Canadian entrepreneur Dr. Ronald Joyce, is providing $5 million to Memorial and $2 million to College of the North Atlantic to create bursary funds that will assist students who are committed to education but face critical financial need and personal challenges to attend post-secondary education. Students who wish to attend Memorial or College of the North Atlantic and meet these criteria will benefit directly from these gifts.

“This landmark gift will have a tremendous impact on the students who need it most,” said President Gary Kachanoski. “This goes a long way in helping us meet our responsibility to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, which is to improve the lives of people and communities through education. We are so grateful to Dr. Ron Joyce and The Joyce Foundation for this wonderful investment in our students and our province.”

The gifts were announced during a ceremony at Holy Heart of Mary High School in St. John’s.

New bursaries to be established

Memorial will establish The Joyce Foundation Bursary, renewable bursaries of $5,000 per year for up to four years for full-time students, covering tuition, required fees and supplies. Memorial will develop an outreach strategy to inform prospective university students about the new bursaries while they are still in high school.

The foundation aims to empower young Canadians by providing increased access to education.

“Education is vital to the social and economic health of individuals, families and communities,” said Dr. Joyce. “I am delighted that this gift will help young Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, who would otherwise have no opportunity or means, to realize their full potential. Nothing makes me happier than to support students who have managed to keep the drive, motivation and desire to learn, despite the adversity in their young lives. I believe they will do great things. We just have to give them the opportunity.”

‘Incredibly meaningful’

Mike Fleet, a third-year student in the Faculty of Arts who is completing an honours degree in political science with a major in German, co-emceed the gift announcement along with Christina Slaney, a second-year civil engineering student at the Corner Brook campus of College of the North Atlantic.

As a recipient of six scholarships while studying at Memorial, Mr. Fleet said that sort of financial support has made university life a little easier.

“Receiving scholarships and bursaries means an excellent education does not depend on financial means,” said Mr. Fleet during the event. “For students who have critical financial needs, scholarships and bursaries are incredibly meaningful. They allow students like me to concentrate on our studies rather than worry about the financial responsibility that comes with an education. For many of us, it means we can focus our time on our courses, research and assignments and excelling at our education. As students, our job is to study and scholarships take some of that pressure away.”

College to create bursaries

At College of the North Atlantic, the donation will be used to establish The Joyce Foundation Bursary, which will provide qualified students with up to $4,000 per year to pay for tuition and associated educational expenses, renewable for up to three years. In addition to the financial support, the college’s program will pair the student with mentors to expand their learning opportunities and provide a broader range of experiences.

“This single donation is the largest ever received by the college and speaks to the importance of the college, its program offerings and the contributions our graduates make to the economy of this province each and every day,” said Ann Marie Vaughan, president and CEO, College of the North Atlantic. “There are numerous people throughout our province who cannot afford to pursue post-secondary education. This gift will allow these deserving individuals who have the desire and the ability to succeed in college to do so by removing the financial barriers. On behalf of everyone at College of the North Atlantic, and the many students who will be able to access a college education because of this generosity, I would like to express my sincerest thanks to Dr. Joyce and The Joyce Foundation.”

The Joyce Foundation (formerly The Ron Joyce Foundation) is a private, family foundation created by Canadian entrepreneur Ronald V. Joyce and is based in Burlington, Ont.