A generous $1-million donation from The Joyce Family Foundation will fund a new renewable bursary program at the University of King’s College for students who face financial and social barriers that might otherwise prevent them from pursuing post-secondary education.
“We’re grateful to The Joyce Family Foundation for this bursary that will help us welcome the best and brightest students to King’s—it’s a gift that will open up a world of opportunities to the many students it benefits,” says King’s President William Lahey.
The donation from The Joyce Family Foundation creates the largest renewable bursary at King’s, available to two full-time undergraduate students per year, beginning with the fall semester in September 2025. It’s valued at $20,000 ($5,000 per year) to each recipient who remains in good academic standing, exhibits a continued financial need and is committed to working with a mentor throughout their undergraduate career. Priority will be given to students from the Maritimes, and those selected will not only have faced significant financial barriers but also demonstrate the ability to overcome obstacles and adversity.
The Joyce Family Foundation is a private, family foundation created by the late Ronald V. Joyce. Best known as the legendary Canadian behind the success of the Tim Hortons franchise, Ronald V. Joyce is also remembered for his passion for helping young Canadians and a deep-rooted sense of responsibility for giving back to his community.
“Ron Joyce’s legacy lives on in the work of the foundation, and this gift to King’s is very much in the spirit of that legacy,” says The Honorable Edward Lumley, Board Chair at The Joyce Family Foundation. “It’s our mission to support the social, economic and emotional well-being of youth by empowering them—and what better way to do so than by helping to support their education.”
Empowering student success and access is one of the three pillars of King’s current Welcoming: The Future King’s campaign. At the heart of this work is President Lahey’s mandate and faculty’s new Academic Plan, which outlines the educational priorities for King’s students and is a vision to ensure more students from all backgrounds and circumstances have access to education.
“Our current campaign is about securing a great future for King’s, and that begins and endures with our students,” says President Lahey. “This gift from The Joyce Family Foundation provides a substantial boost toward our shared goal of creating opportunities for students who want to study here. The Joyce Family Foundation Bursary will help us foster the potential of a diverse group of students with the talent and motivation to make the world a better place—and we all benefit from that. Theirs is a gift to King’s and to a brighter future for the whole community.”
