Environmental scholarship in Canada got a big boost yesterday with the announcement of a $1-million donation from HSBC Bank Canada to York University to support undergraduate students in the Faculty of Environmental Studies. 

The gift is the single largest corporate endowment supporting Environmental Studies Awards in Canada. More than 15 bachelor of environmental studies students will receive full tuition awards each year .

York President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri and Barbara Rahder, dean of York’s Faculty of Environmental Studies (FES), announced the donation from HSBC Bank Canada at a special event held at York's Keele campus.

“This is a great day for York University, students, research and the environment,” said Shoukri. “With this single largest corporate gift to undergraduate environmental studies students in Canada, HSBC Bank Canada’s commitment creates a new, one-of-a-kind full tuition environmental scholarship, truly transforming environmental studies here at York and in Canada.”

Above: Event participants celebrate the $1-million endowed donation from HSBC Bank Canada establishing the HSBC Bank Canada Environmental Studies Awards at the Faculty of Environmental Studies (FES). Pictured (from left): Erica Ali, FES student; FES Dean Barbara Rahder; Linda Seymour, executive vice-president, commercial banking, and regional president, central and eastern Canada, HSBC Bank Canada; York President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri; FES student Mike Zhang.

The $1-million donation from HSBC Bank Canada, to be paid over five years, will create the permanently endowed HSBC Bank Canada Environmental Studies Awards. The donation also triggers a $1-million matching investment from the Ontario Trust for Student Support Program, creating a $2-million permanent endowment for undergraduate environmental studies students at York.

“HSBC believes that education is a fundamental building block for communities, which is why we fund scholarships and bursaries at postsecondary institutions across Canada – including right here at York University,” said Linda Seymour, executive vice-president, commercial banking, and regional president, central and eastern Canada, HSBC Bank Canada. “We are very pleased that the HSBC Bank Canada Environmental Studies Awards will support more than 15 environmental studies students each year, allowing them to focus on their research, studies and contribution to the environment.”  

The awards, equivalent to one year’s tuition, will be given to third- and fourth-year bachelor of environmental studies students who demonstrate academic achievement, community service and are in financial need.

“This is a transformational investment to York’s Faculty of Environmental Studies,” said Rahder. “These scholarships enable students to focus on their research, studies and contribution to the environment, lifting the stress of cost of going to university.”

Several dozen students, faculty and staff attended yesterday's announcement at York’s Keele campus. In addition to highlighting key projects and research currently taking place within the Faculty of Environmental Studies, students also shared their thoughts on the potential impact of these awards.

“As a student, tuition and other costs associated with a university education are always top of mind,” said Mike Zhang, a fourth-year student majoring in urban sustainability. “The new HSBC award will help relieve students like me from this financial worry so we can focus on our studies, take advantage of valuable internships and even come up with the next big idea to address environmental challenges." 

With this announcement, HSBC Bank Canada has donated close to $2 million to York University over the past two decades. Previous donations have created six endowed scholarship funds at York University, which have provided awards to 41 students to date.

Republished courtesy of YFile– York University’s daily e-bulletin.