(GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ryan Beedie, President of Beedie, is launching his biggest philanthropic endeavour to date – Beedie Luminaries.
Beedie Luminaries is a $50M social-profit enterprise designed to help remove barriers to higher education for resilient students who face financial adversity, and to support their long-term success.
An initial cohort of 50 Lower Mainland students will receive grants in May 2019. The program plans to expand in the future to support up to 100 students throughout British Columbia each year. The grants will enable them to continue their education after high school, be it in university, college or trade school.
Beedie Luminaries is another major step in fulfilling Ryan’s personal philosophy of giving back and Beedie’s corporate motto “Built for Good.”
Calling Beedie Luminaries his most important venture yet, Ryan Beedie used the occasion of his 50th birthday to kick-start the Foundation with a personal commitment of $50-million. “There are many bright, driven young people who simply cannot afford post-secondary education,” he says, “Beedie Luminaries will break down that barrier and give them a leg up so they reach their full potential.”
Students will be selected based on a number of criteria, including their resilience, determination, empathy and purpose, as well as academic readiness according to BC’s new curriculum set of core competencies.
In additional to the financial support, Beedie Luminaries plans to establish a support network of mentors, community leaders and corporate partners. The key objective is to set students up for success by supporting their journeys, from high school to post-secondary studies and beyond.
“Beedie Luminaries is not just about the money,” adds Martina Meckova, Executive Director of Beedie Luminaries. “Perhaps the most important measure will be students’ potential for improving the world around them. Paying it forward and contributing to our communities is what ‘Built for Good’ means, and this will help continue that into the future.”
Students may apply online at BeedieLuminaries.ca between November 13, 2018 and February 15, 2019. The first cohort will be announced in early May 2019.
About Beedie Luminaries:
Beedie Luminaries is a registered foundation and a non-profit society that helps promising British Columbia students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds overcome barriers to education. The foundation’s mission is built on the premise that further education can enhance future career opportunities, and fundamentally create positive societal outcomes. The program offers financial support to students applying to British Columbia public post-secondary institutions, including universities, colleges and trade schools. www.BeedieLuminaries.ca
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Media contact: Yvonne Chiang, news@chiangpr.ca, 604-880-5090
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