A generous gift to Fleming College from the Joyce Family Foundation will support the training of professionals in high-demand industries by establishing the school’s largest-ever endowed fund for student tuition.
According to Fleming College, the $1.5 million endowment will have a transformative impact by providing bursaries to students who face financial barriers and who might not otherwise be able to access post-secondary education.
“This historic gift, which establishes our largest fund for student tuition assistance, is a meaningful investment in Fleming College and in the young people of our region,” says Maureen Adamson, president of Fleming College and interim president and CEO of Colleges Ontario. “We are deeply grateful to the Joyce Family Foundation for their commitment to reducing barriers and supporting Canadian youth as they pursue education that enables them to reach their full potential and contribute to their communities.”
The Joyce Family Foundation is a private family foundation created by the late Ronald V. Joyce, a legendary entrepreneur best known for investing in the first Tim Hortons before growing it into one of the most successful food service chains in the world. The Foundation’s primary focus is to provide access to education for children and youth who face significant financial need or other barriers to access.
“Ron Joyce believed in the power of education to change lives, and he held great respect for the role colleges play in preparing young people for meaningful careers,” says Rob MacIsaac, board chair of the Joyce Family Foundation. “This bursary program reflects his steadfast commitment to empowering Canadian youth facing barriers, ensuring they have every opportunity to pursue education and build brighter futures.”
Working alongside local youth-focused organizations supporting young people facing barriers to post-secondary education in the Peterborough and Kawarthas region, Fleming College will be disbursing 11 bursaries of $5,000 to students enrolled in full-time programs, each year in perpetuity. The funding will come close to covering the cost of a year of tuition, enabling students to focus on their studies rather than dealing with financial hardship.
“This investment from the Joyce Family Foundation builds significantly on our student financial assistance program,” says Katie Pezoulas, executive director of advancement and external relations at Fleming College. “We’re thrilled to leverage this support to provide young people in our community who are facing barriers to pursuing post-secondary education with a path to a Fleming education.”
The Joyce Family Foundation Bursary Program will not only provide students in financial need with access to education, but will also help Fleming College recruit more students. This is especially significant given the college’s strategic plan to expand programs in high demand sectors such as skilled trades and healthcare.
The transformative impact the Joyce Family Foundation Bursary Program will have on students is just one example of what can be done through philanthropy.
“It’s a huge vote of confidence coming from such an established foundation in Ontario,” Pezoulas says. “It’s very meaningful that the Joyce Family Foundation had the vision to invest so generously not only in Fleming College, but also in the young people in our community.”
Community members and local philanthropists can build on the momentum created by the Joyce Family Foundation’s gift by donating to the Fleming Forward Fund, an annual fund that supports student financial assistance, program development, and other student supports and programs.
“The Fleming Forward Fund exists to support the highest priority areas at the college,” says Pezoulas. “When donors invest in Fleming College, they’re supporting young people to pursue meaningful careers and bright futures. They’re also contributing to the vitality of our community by supporting program areas which build talent pipelines for in-demand sectors.”
To learn more or donate to the Forward Fleming Fund, visit flemingcollege.ca/fleming-forward.
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