From left are Jack Lightstone, President, Brock University, Michele Thornley, Trustee of The Joyce Foundation, David Wagstaff, Trustee of The Joyce Foundation, John Suk, Chair of the Brock University Board of Trustees and Ron Joyce, sitting.A $2.5 million gift from The Joyce Foundation will be used to establish new bursaries covering full tuition of multiple students each year.
The major donation announced Friday, Nov. 27, will create The Joyce Foundation Bursary, the largest single bursary fund in Brock’s history.
“This is one of the most significant gift announcements in the history of our school,” said Brock University President Jack Lightstone. “This generous donation from The Joyce Foundation will open the door to post-secondary education for an untold number of students in the years to come.”
Lightstone also thanked the Foundation’s board, including the Hon. Ed Lumley, Grant Joyce, Steven Joyce, Aileen O’Rafferty, Michele Thornley and David Wagstaff.
One student who was facing personal challenges and was struggling to find their way forward to university called receiving a Brock bursary a gift and a message.
“The generosity of a Brock donor changed the course of my life. From that moment I was able to focus on my studies, achieved the best marks of my life, earned my degree and kept going, becoming a graduate student,” said alumnus Jason Sykes, who now teaches at Brock.
“Our board truly believes in helping students who face financial barriers to attain a higher education. We wanted to establish bursaries at Brock University because we believe that when education is more accessible, everyone benefits,” said Joyce Foundation founder Ron Joyce. The Canadian business icon co-founded TDL Group Ltd., which licenses Tim Hortons restaurants around the world.
As Niagara’s economy transitions from traditional industry into new innovative, knowledge-driven sectors, a highly skilled and educated labour force will be needed. Obtaining post-secondary education is increasingly vital. Yet, Niagara lags quite behind other areas of Ontario in terms of the percentage of our population that has had post-secondary education.
Brock University is always looking for ways it can increase the number of donor-funded awards available to students. In 2014/15 more than 10 per cent of Brock students received financial assistance through donor funded awards.
