Nicholas Belluk likes bagels. The first ever recipient of the Bowen Island Community Foundation Academic Scholarship keeps a bag of them in his dorm room at McGill University, preferring to eat them plain or, occasionally, with cream cheese while studying International Development. When the bag runs empty he strikes out in search of more bagels, the occasional croissant, and a lot of good places to study.
“Receiving the community scholarship really helped my family and I worry less this past year about the expenses of school,” he writes. “[For] example, this year I was able to not have a job during the year, which allowed me to focus more on my studies as well as getting used to living in a new city away from home.
“While I’ll likely get a job next year, as well as working all this summer to help pay for McGill, having some free time this year was very helpful.”
The Foundation offers Bowen students many scholarships and bursaries. The criteria ranges from academic performance, to community involvement and leadership, to environmental stewardship to the Bowen Island Community Trade Scholarship—which has nothing to do with academics and everything to do with pursuing a career in the trades. Noting that construction on the island is booming, and that trades are one of few industries that present opportunities for staying on-island, the Trade Scholarship seems like a natural fit for Bowen.
In 2017, the foundation paid out awards of behalf of thirteen different scholarship and bursary winners. In total, $26,750 went to benefit Bowen students pursuing higher learning.
This is set to be an even bigger year, with $35,750 in awards up for grabs in 2018. We know that students have to live meagre lifestyles to achieve their goals. Here’s hoping these awards give them just a little more breathing room and allow them to enjoy the finer things in life every once in a while, like bagels with cream cheese.
Applications for Community Foundation scholarships and bursaries are due June 25. For more information go to the foundation website: https://bowenfoundation.com/scholarship-funds/.
