$10,000 donation to the Education Foundation of Niagara supports graduating DSBN students 

Niagara College’s School of Hospitality, Tourism and Sport is helping to support local students in need through the creation of a new ‘Monday Morning Ready’ bursary.

The Education Foundation of Niagara (EFN) will award four $2,500 ‘Monday Morning Ready’ bursaries to graduating students from the District School Board of Niagara (DSBN) who will be attending a program within the College’s School of Hospitality, Tourism and Sport (HTS) for the 2021-2022 academic year.

The bursary is funded by a recent $5,000 donation from NC’s School of HTS, as well as another $5,000 in student-raised funds donated last year as part of its 2019-2020 Many Hands Project.

“Through our new Monday Morning Ready bursaries, we are not only supporting high school students with much needed financial support during a challenging time, but are reaffirming our commitment to equipping the future workforce with the skills they need to succeed,” said Evan DiValentino, associate dean, School of Hospitality, Tourism and Sport at NC. “Niagara’s hospitality, tourism and sport sectors have been severely impacted by the global pandemic over the past year. It’s more important than ever to prepare those entering the industry with the applied skills they need to hit the ground running – and that’s exactly what we strive to do at Niagara College.”

“Investing in young students’ lives supports the success of future Niagara College students and the future prosperity of Niagara,” said Laura Byers, executive director of the Education Foundation of Niagara. “Our sincere thanks to NC’s School of Hospitality, Tourism and Sport for recognizing and valuing the work of the Education Foundation of Niagara. The link between education, better health and economic outcomes is well established and this bursary will offer long-term societal benefits.”

“We want to empower and support our students in pursuing the post-secondary education of their choice, and these bursaries will go a long way in doing just that,” said Leanne Smith, superintendent of Curriculum and Student Achievement for Secondary at the DSBN. “By helping to remove financial barriers, Niagara College is providing our students with the important opportunity to access the post-secondary education they have worked hard to earn, getting them that much closer to achieving success in their futures.”

To apply for the bursary, graduating DSBN students must submit a 200-word essay about their experiences in secondary school, challenges they have encountered, and the expectations and dreams they have for their futures. DSBN students who are interested in this bursary can reach out to their school guidance department for more information.

The Education Foundation of Niagara is a registered charity whose mission is to support District School Board of Niagara students by engaging the community to provide needed funds and resources where government funding is not available. With support from its donors, it is able to address student financial and medical needs and provide student bursaries that are designed to assist academically qualified students requiring financial assistance. Donations made in the form of student bursaries help open up doors for students looking to pursue post-secondary education and break down the financial barriers. Visit efnniagara.dsbn.org.

The District School Board of Niagara (DSBN) is the largest public school board in Niagara, serving over 38,000 elementary and secondary students in schools across the Niagara region. The DSBN is committed to ensuring all students have the individual support and resources they need to reach their full potential. For more information, visit dsbn.org.

Niagara College offers more than 130 diploma, bachelor degree and advanced level programs; as well as more than 600 credit, vocational and general interest Part-Time Studies courses. Areas of specialization include food and wine science, advanced technology, media, applied health and community safety, supported by unique learning enterprises in food, wine, beer, distilling, horticulture and esthetics. Visit niagaracollege.ca.