Rotman Commerce to offer new bursary for Black and Indigenous students
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(Photo by Jason Krygier-Baum)
Published: August 6, 2021
The University of Toronto's undergraduate business program, Rotman Commerce, is launching a new needs-based bursary this fall for Black and Indigenous students.
The Francisco Bursary, which will see between $500 to $1,000 awarded annually to a student based on academic merit, was made possible by the support of marketing executives Mike and Quinn Samardzic.
“My parents immigrated to Canada from Guyana. Education was a huge priority for them and was what transformed the lives of myself and my sisters,” said Quinn, whose family name is Francisco. “To me, education has always been a vehicle that can change the trajectory of someone’s life.”
Mike added that the COVID-19 pandemic brought racial inequalities and the challenges facing marginalized groups into sharper focus.
“There has been a lack of opportunity for these groups to acquire generational wealth or financial literacy, and we wanted to take a step in levelling the playing field,” he said.
Read more at Rotman Commerce