Harry W. MacLauchlan Scholarships Promote Entrepreneurial Spirit
Generations of students will benefit from a major scholarship program to honour the memory of one of PEI's best known, community minded, and successful entrepreneurs. The family of the late Harry W. MacLauchlan has created a series of renewable entrance scholarships aimed at exceptional students entering the UPEI School of Business Administration who are planning entrepreneurial careers on Prince Edward Island.
"Our family is proud to establish these scholarships in Harry's memory," said Marjorie MacLauchlan on behalf of the family. "Harry always had a keen eye for talent and took a special interest in encouraging the next generation of entrepreneurs, in business and in community life. We look forward to seeing the benefits of these scholarships, to the recipients and to Prince Edward Island."
"This is outstanding news," said John MacDougall, President of Atlantic Turbines, Inc. and Chair of the School of Business Administration Advisory Council at UPEI. "These scholarships will significantly enhance the School's ability to recruit and retain the 'best of the best' entrepreneurial stream students and, most importantly, keep them in PEI after graduation. Entrepreneurial ventures are the leading job creators in our economy."
The Harry W. MacLauchlan Scholarships in Entrepreneurial Leadership will be awarded to students with high academic standing who show the qualities that MacLauchlan himself exhibited and admired: strong entrepreneurial initiative, high levels of accomplishment, and genuine commitment to the PEI community. There will be four renewable $3,000 entrance scholarships awarded each year, for a total of sixteen scholarships valued at $12,000 each over four years of University studies.
"This is an excellent demonstration of one generation of entrepreneurs supporting future generations," said Tim Banks, President of the APM Group and Co-chair of the fundraising initiative for the new UPEI School of Business and Centre for Enterprise and Entrepreneurship. "Harry and his family quietly built a business network that provided a solid foundation for commerce on PEI and they have always supported the community and supported youth. With this gift, young Island entrepreneurs can receive some of the benefits of this leadership and can continue Harry's work of building an entrepreneurial spirit in PEI."
From early beginnings on the family farm in Stanhope, Harry MacLauchlan became an entrepreneurial leader in various sectors of the PEI economy. There are well-known tales of MacLauchlan's first business endeavours selling ducks and berries by the age of ten, later moving on to opening a general store and buying and shipping lobsters by the age of twenty. His subsequent ventures included pulpwood, heavy construction, tourism, golf, cable television, oil and gas distribution, and real estate. MacLauchlan's community involvements touched on many aspects of Island life, including sports, health care, politics, local community improvement and heritage, as well as fundraising for UPEI and various other causes.
The new Harry W. MacLauchlan Scholarships in Entrepreneurial Leadership were enthusiastically welcomed by Billy Mingo, a self employed business operator who is also a full time student in the UPEI Business Administration class of 2006. Mingo is the 2005 recipient of the Harry MacLauchlan Memorial Award in Entrepreneurship, which was established through memorial donations made at the time of MacLauchlan's death in 2002. "I truly appreciate the efforts of the MacLauchlan family to inspire entrepreneurship through their generosity and values. These values are creating futures for individuals with a passion and a drive to succeed. This really is a major step towards retaining a skilled and knowledgeable workforce in this region."
Dean of Business, Roberta MacDonald, added "Harry MacLauchlan made a significant impact as an entrepreneur on the Island and these scholarships in his name will continue his legacy to help ensure growth in entrepreneurship, educate youth, and sustain the Island's future." The first scholarships will be awarded in September 2006. Applications will be available through high school guidance counsellors.
