LVR's Makayla Pickering earns Beedie Luminaries Scholarship
By Lone Sheep Publishing
The final year of high school can be overwhelming for Grade 12 students as many pound out scholarship applications in search of funds to cover post-secondary studies.
For Makayla Pickering of Nelson, attending university just became a little easier after the L.V. Rogers graduate was awarded a Beedie Luminaries Scholarship that can cover as much as $44,000 in post-secondary costs.
“This year we have the special honour of not only welcoming a new cohort of promising, hard-working students to the Beedie Luminaries program, including the first cohort of RISE (Refugee and Immigrant Student Education) Awards, but also celebrating Beedie Luminaries from the inaugural cohort of 2019 as they graduate from their post-secondary programs,” said Ryan Beedie in media release recognizing Pickering as one of the 116 Grade 12 students receiving the scholarship.
“It has been inspiring to see the success that this talented and determined group of young people has achieved over the past four years. I can’t wait to see what they will accomplish as they move forward to the next chapter of their lives.”
Beedie, through his foundation, Beedie Luminaries, is awarding $6.9 million in scholarships worth up to $44,000 each to 116 Grade 12 students, 10 refugee and immigrant students and 20 single parents in B.C.
For the first time, the foundation is also awarding 10 Graduate Studies Awards of up to $50,000 to previous Beedie Luminaries scholarship recipients who have finished their undergraduate degrees and are now pursuing graduate or second-entry undergraduate studies.
The Beedie Luminaries Grade 12 scholarship program provides students who demonstrate strong academic potential and determination, but face financial barriers to attending post-secondary, with up to $44,000 each over four years as well as access to mentors, student coaches, paid internships and ongoing support from the Beedie Luminaries community.
This year’s Grade 12 recipients come from 67 high schools in 29 communities, with 41 per cent being the first in their immediate family to pursue post-secondary education and 60 per cent coming from single-parent or legal guardian families. In addition to university, a number of students will use the funds to attend trade school and vocational training.
Pickering is off to enrol into the University of British Columbia in the fall.
“Receiving this scholarship from Beedie Luminaires is life changing for me and my studies,” says Grace Cline, a Beedie Luminaries Grade 12 scholarship recipient from Castlegar.
“My family and I are so thankful for this scholarship and highly recommend the Beedie Luminaries program to any Grade 12 student looking to pursue great things in life.”
Previous Beedie scholarship recipients from the region include Freya Emery of Mount Sentinel in 2020 and Avie Waterfall of LVR in 2021.
With its first cohort of scholarship recipients graduating this spring, Beedie Luminaries wanted to continue providing support for students whose areas of study – like medicine or law – require advanced degrees.
The Graduate Studies Award provides up to $50,000 over two years to existing Beedie Luminaries scholarship recipients to pursue a master’s degree or second-entry undergraduate program as well as continued support from student coaches, mentors and the wider Beedie Luminaries community.
“We believe in reducing financial barriers to post-secondary education – both at the undergraduate and graduate level,” said Beedie.
“That is why, as our first cohort finishes their bachelor’s degrees, we want to continue providing support for Beedie Luminaries students who plan to pursue advanced degrees and who have been outstanding ambassadors of our program.”
Beedie Luminaries, through their SPARK (Single Parent Award for Resilience and Knowledge) and RISE (Refugee & Immigrant Student Education) programs, also provides scholarships to single parents and refugees, respectively, who want to pursue further education in B.C. In 2023, these two programs will grant 30 scholarships also worth up to $44,000 each.
Originally launched on November 13, 2018 with a $50-million donation from Ryan Beedie that coincided with his 50th birthday, Beedie Luminaries has awarded 625 scholarships to B.C. Grade 12, single parent, refugee and graduate students to date.
Students who are interested in applying to be part of next year’s cohort are encouraged to follow Beedie Luminaries on social media or visit beedieluminaries.ca. The application period for the 2024 cohort will open in fall 2023.
About Beedie Luminaries:
Beedie Luminaries is a registered foundation and a non-profit society that is working to create brighter futures for bright minds. The foundation’s mission is built on the premise that 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
