– Association Members The Right Honourable Brian Mulroney, Rebecca MacDonald, Isadore Sharp, Prem Watsa and Rick Waugh on hand to announce $10-million fund –
TORONTO, May 19, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ - The Horatio Alger Association of Canada, a charitable organization dedicated to education and the belief that hard work, honesty and determination can conquer all obstacles, today announced a national expansion of its scholarship program with a new $10 million endowment available to high school students in all Canadian provinces and territories.
The Right Honourable Brian Mulroney, Prime Minister of Canada from 1984-1993 and Vice President of the Association's Board of Directors, hosted Tuesday's press conference announcing the national expansion.
"Every year, I have the privilege of learning about the life stories that our scholarship applicants submit," said Mr. Mulroney. "It warms my heart to see these bright students who, despite hardship, despite roadblocks, demonstrate a 'can-do' attitude and strive for success. These students are the future and I have never been more optimistic that our country is in good hands."
Since 2009, the Horatio Alger Association of Canada has offered scholarships to full-time Canadian high school students in Quebec, Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia who have a critical financial need and have demonstrated integrity and perseverance in overcoming adversity, as well as strength of character, a good academic record, a commitment to pursue higher education, and a desire to contribute to society.
In that time, more than $1 million in scholarships have been awarded to over 200 deserving young Canadians.
Now, hard-working students in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Yukon, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut will have the opportunity to apply for 130 Horatio Alger scholarships each year of up to $10,000.
As of today, Horatio Alger Canadian Scholarships valued at $5,000 will be awarded to 80 young Canadians annually to study at a post-secondary institution of their choosing.
In addition, the top five applicants from across Canada each year will be awarded the Horatio Alger Canadian National Scholarship. These five students will win a scholarship valued at $10,000, which is reserved for outstanding applicants who are planning to pursue a business-related degree or have expressed a commitment to following an entrepreneurial career. These students will also be invited to Washington, D.C. during the spring of their final year in high school to participate in the Horatio Alger National Scholars Conference, joining American winners of the Horatio Alger scholarships.
Finally, Prem Watsa, the Horatio Alger Association of Canada's incoming president, announced the integration of his own company's scholarship program into the Association's.
"I am very pleased to announce that the scholarship fund of Fairfax Financial Holdings, our corporation, will be integrated into the Horatio Alger Association this year. This involves 45 scholarships of up to $5,000 annually each for students attending select Canadian post-secondary institutions," Mr. Watsa said.
The Association is named for renowned author Horatio Alger, Jr., who wrote about the merits of honesty, courage and perseverance as the means to success. His stories pushed the idea that social mobility comes through hard work, and it enables what came to be called "rags to riches".
The application process for the 2016 scholarships will open on August 1, 2015. Students wishing to apply will be able to do so at www.horatioalger.ca.
About the Horatio Alger Association of Canada
The Horatio Alger Association of Canada, the Canadian affiliate of the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc., is a charitable organization dedicated to education and to the simple but powerful belief that hard work, honesty and determination can conquer all obstacles. The Association honours the achievements of outstanding individuals in our society who have succeeded in spite of adversity and who encourage young people to pursue their dreams through higher education. The Horatio Alger Association of Canada awards scholarships annually to deserving young people in every Canadian province and territory. Members of the Association include Dominic D'Alessandro, Murray Edwards, David Foster, Wayne Gretzky, Rebecca MacDonald, the late G. Wallace F. McCain, The Right Honourable Brian Mulroney, Jim Pattison, Isadore Sharp, Prem Watsa, Rick Waugh, and Serge Godin. For more information, visit www.horatioalger.ca.
SOURCE Horatio Alger Association of Canada
Adam Daifallah, HATLEY Strategy Advisors, 514.316.7089, [email protected]
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