Heaslip Family Supports Six New Scholarships at UPEI
A Toronto family with connections to Prince Edward Island has made a substantial commitment to assist undergraduate students in the Faculty of Arts at UPEI. Beginning this fall, students entering their second year of the four-year BA program have access to two new $15,000 scholarships established by Nona Macdonald Heaslip and Bill Heaslip. The first Heaslip Scholars have just been chosen. They are Meghan Ferris and James MacCormac.
In 2006, the Heaslips will support three-year renewable scholarships to two additional students. Beginning in 2007, two new Heaslip scholars will be selected every year and this arrangement will continue in perpetuity.
"The tremendous generosity of Nona Macdonald Heaslip and Bill Heaslip will mean that a total of six students will be receiving $15,000 each over three years for their studies," says UPEI President Wade MacLauchlan. "This is an unprecedented arrangement for scholarships at UPEI and a wonderful expression of support for our great university." President MacLauchlan added that many students rely on scholarships, bursaries and awards to fund the cost of post-secondary education. These scholarships often make the difference between continuing at university or not.
William Heaslip was the co-founder of Grafton Group Ltd., and he built what became one of the largest men's clothing companies in Canada. He is a Member of the Order of Canada. Nona Macdonald Heaslip is an established public relations consultant and journalist. She and her husband have made numerous donations to support education, the arts, and health care organizations in Canada. Her father, Colonel Ronald Hugh Patrick Macdonald, was born in Summerside, PEI. He attended St. Dunstan's College, one of UPEI's two predecessor institutions, from 1901 to 1904.
Nona and Bill Heaslip's family legacy to the University of Prince Edward Island will be publicly recognized at the Deans' Honours and Awards ceremony to take place in the W.A. Murphy Student Centre on October 3. Their gift is part of the UPEI Building a Legacy Campaign which aims to raise $50 million in private donations to the University. The campaign has already raised over half that amount. This includes scholarship and bursary support for UPEI students that, since 2002, has increased by 41%. For more details about the Heaslip Renewable Scholarships, or any other awards and scholarships at the University of Prince Edward Island, please visit www.upei.ca/registrar. Information about Building a Legacy is available at www.upei.ca/legacy.
