Fleming College is establishing its largest endowed fund for student tuition assistance following a $1.5-million donation from The Joyce Family Foundation.
The gift will create 11 annual bursaries of $5,000 each for students facing financial or personal barriers to post-secondary education. In total, the new Joyce Family Foundation Bursary Program will provide $55,000 in support each year, with a focus on youth in the Peterborough and Kawarthas region.
“This historic gift… is a meaningful investment in Fleming College and in the young people of our region,” said Maureen Adamson, the college’s president and interim CEO of Colleges Ontario. She said the funding will help students reach their potential and contribute to their communities.
Katie Pezoulas, Fleming’s executive director of advancement and external relations, said the donation comes at a crucial time as rising costs make education harder to afford. “This investment will be transformational,” she said.
The foundation was created by the late Ronald V. Joyce, co-founder of Tim Hortons. Board chair Rob MacIsaac said the bursary program reflects Joyce’s belief in education as a pathway to opportunity.
“He held great respect for the role colleges play in preparing young people for meaningful careers,” MacIsaac said.
