As another school year ends, 37 students will head into summer knowing that the next steps on their educational journey will be made a little easier, thanks to 41 scholarships distributed by the Richmond Community Foundation.
The scholarships will help students pay for tuition fees and course materials, but can also help verify a student’s community contributions, thus facilitating entry into specialty or post-graduate programs. One thing’s for certain: the scholarships will have a lasting impact on the recipients.
The Phyllis Taylor Scholarship, the Foundation’s largest, at $5,000, was awarded to University of Victoria Fine Arts student Olivia Reid-Friesen, for her theatre studies.
Ms. Reid-Friesen is a 2018 McNair Secondary grad, and will be undertaking a work study position in the costume shop for the UVic Theatre’s main stage productions, starting in September.
Phyllis Taylor, a first-class pianist and long-time Richmond music teacher who passed away in 2004, established the scholarship in her will, to provide financial assistance to local performing arts students.
“Thanks to Phyllis Taylor, I am living out my dreams of studying and working in theatre,” says Reid-Friesen. “I am thrilled to continue my studies in stage management and costume construction come fall. With this scholarship, I am able to continue doing what I love, serving my community, and I am immensely grateful for that opportunity.”
Olivia Reid-Friesen as Orsola in McNair’s 2018 production of Il Campiello. Ms. Reid-Friesen received
the Richmond Community Foundation’s 2019 Phyllis Taylor Scholarship, valued at $5,000, to support
her studies in stage management and costume construction at the University of Victoria.
This year’s Ethel Tibbits Scholarship, awarded annually to a Richmond woman seeking to upgrade her education to better support her family, was given to Shyann Boyer, a Richmond Colts Young Parent program participant.
“We had many deserving applicants and a challenge determining the winner,” says Julie Halfnights, Chair of the Foundation’s Scholarships Committee. “This was similar to last year and indicates the need for more funds for mature students.”
At graduation ceremonies at seven Richmond secondary schools, the Foundation awarded 39 scholarships to Richmond high school students, worth a combined $24,400.
135 students completed the online application form, making this the largest intake year for scholarships in the Foundation’s history. The organization looks forward to future years, as four new scholarship funds have recently been established.
The Community Foundation is actively seeking support for its scholarship program, both from donors looking to establish new funds, and community members wanting to give to existing ones. For information on how to create or donate to a scholarship fund, visit www.richmondfoundation.org.
Olivia Reid-Friesen
Shyann Boyer
Kronier Family Scholarship
Nathaniel Franco
Lanita Galang
Jocelyn Gallardo
Vivian Ghotaymi
Jia Hua Jiao
Vincent Lin
Aida Mintsis
Ann Park
Veronica Surrette
Kendra-Lee Thomas
Tayvae-Alec Van Eeuwen
Seryev Vassiliu
Charles Wang
Andrea Wong Koo
Derek Dang & Dr. Margaret Yeung Scholarship
Hayley Chung
Gabrielle Mercado
Jason Pang
Linda Wang
Michael Diston Memorial Scholarship
Zachary Chao
Jocelyn Gallardo
Kendra-Lee Thomas
Etta Demerse Memorial Scholarship
Vivian Ghotaymi
Jia Hua Jiao
Carly Ng
Balpreet Sasan
Andrea Wong Koo
Lin Zheng
Richmond Sunset Rotary Club Scholarship
Christine Chong
Rotem Levy
Emily Lim
Veronica Surette
RichCity Idol Scholarship
Jessalyn Chen
Nancy Song
Walter Wu Scholarship
Carson Bradley
Richmond Community Foundation Scholarship
Zakiya Abulaziz
Steveston Community Society Scholarship
Gavin Fung-Quon
Thompson Community Association Phil Brown Scholarship
Emma Fedoruk
Mark Rimando
Linda Wang