Four outstanding high school students are winners of the prestigious Currie Undergraduate Scholarships at the University of New Brunswick.
The scholarships, valued at $75,000 each, were established in 2004 by UNB Chancellor Emeritus Dr. Richard J. Currie, one of Canada's most accomplished business leaders and philanthropists, who was a Beaverbrook Scholar as a young man. Each year the Currie Scholarships recognize Atlantic Canadian high school students for their leadership skills, academic success, community involvement and obstacles overcome.
This year's recipients:
Benjamin Alain of Stratford, P.E.I. is a student at École François-Buote, where he plays soccer, basketball and flag football and has served as the student council sports representative. In addition to coaching intermediate school sports, he also competes at the national level in powerlifting, and in February he set two powerlifting records with the PEI School Athletic Association. Alain will begin the bachelor of science in engineering degree program in September at UNB Fredericton.
Bailey Bennett of Stephenville, N.L. is a student at Stephenville High School. Along with participation in her school's concert and jazz bands, she is a member of the debate team and choir, a peer tutor, and student council secretary. Bennett will begin the bachelor of science degree program at UNB Fredericton in September.
Ella Coffin of Grand Bay-Westfield, N.B. is a student at Harbour View High School, where she is active in drama as well as band and choral ensembles, and is VP finance of the grad class committee. She volunteers her time passing on her skills in ballet to younger children. Coffin will begin the bachelor of science in engineering degree program in September at UNB Fredericton.
Tyler Murray of Hampton, N.B. is a student at Hampton High School, where he tutors younger students in math and chemistry and volunteers as a lab assistant. He is captain of his high school volleyball team and has competed at the city and provincial levels with Saint John Timberwolves U18 and Team New Brunswick. Murray will begin the bachelor of science degree program at UNB Saint John in September.
The Currie Undergraduate Scholarships are awarded to students beginning a degree program at UNB upon graduation from a high school in any of the four Atlantic provinces. The scholarships, which essentially pay all costs associated with any four-year undergraduate program, are intended to support the education of future leaders.
Dr. Currie started university in chemical engineering at UNB and ended with an master of business administration from Harvard. He served as UNB Chancellor from 2003 to 2013 and became Chancellor Emeritus in 2014. Dr. Currie played a fundamental role in the development, design and financing of the state-of-the-art Richard J. CURRIE CENTER on UNB's Fredericton campus. He is an Officer of the Order of Canada, a member of the Order of New Brunswick and a Companion of the Canadian Business Hall of Fame.
