Loyalist College has introduced “Project Hero”, a program which provides free tuition for dependents of Canadian Forces personnel who lose their lives while serving in an active military mission. College President Maureen Piercy made the announcement at her Investiture ceremony as Honorary Colonel of 8 Air Communication and Control Squadron (8 ACCS) on August 17th.
“Loyalist is the first College to participate in this program, which has been introduced in some Canadian universities,” she explained. “It was first introduced at Newfoundland and Labrador’s Memorial University by Retired General Rick Hillier, and then brought to the University of Ottawa by Kevin Reed, an Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel of 31 Canadian Brigade Group, Service Units and Chairman of Equity Transfer and Trust Co. I was pleased to meet with Kevin to discuss this opportunity and we are proud to offer the scholarship program at Loyalist, beginning in September. “
Kevin Reed has connections with Belleville and with Loyalist College. He is a graduate of Quinte Secondary School, and his late uncle Alfred Reed, was one of the original members of the College faculty in 1967.
“I am delighted that Loyalist College is throwing its support behind this program”, he said. “We launched Project Hero with the hope that it would find support with post-secondary institutions right across Canada. Loyalist College is a valuable link in our national initiative which continues to expand.”
“This is an important recognition of the incredible work of individuals in the Canadian Forces as they serve our country every day,” said President Piercy. “As Canadians we must be mindful of the individual sacrifices which are being made on our behalf. Project Hero is one way to provide that recognition.”
The scholarship program will provide financial assistance for tuition fees for up to six semesters and on-campus residence fees for the first two semesters of study. The program is effective from September 1, 2009 through August 2014. At that time, the program will be assessed to determine possible renewal.
In order to be eligible for this scholarship, the recipient must be: a dependent of a Canadian Forces personnel deceased while serving in an active mission; under the age of 26; and registered as a full-time post-secondary student at Loyalist College, in a program of study eligible for funding by the province of Ontario.
Applications for the program will be available through the Awards Office at Loyalist College. They must be completed, and eligibility confirmed by the Canadian Forces, within the first full-time semester in which the recipient is enrolled. Further information is available from the Awards Officer at (613) 969-1913, ext. 2202.
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Media Contact: Dianne Spencer, College Advancement and External Relations, Loyalist College, (613) 969-1913, ext. 2235 or e-mail: dspencer@loyalistc.on.ca
Belleville Intelligencer (ON)
Editorial/Opinion, Tuesday, August 25, 2009, p.6
Hero Project, Loyalist a match made in heaven
Loyalist College and Project Hero are such a perfect fit it would be easy to overlook the work of those involved in making it happen.
Project Hero is the brainchild of Kevin Reed, a Belleville native and honorary lieutenant- colonel of the military’s 31 Canadian Brigade Group service units, and retired general and recent chief of defence staff Rick Hillier, now chancellor of Memorial University.
The campaign is an effort to get all Canadian post-secondary institutions to provide free education to children of troops killed while on active service. The project already has the support of seven universities: Memorial, Carleton, McMaster, Concordia and the universities of Ottawa, Calgary and Windsor.
Reed said he receives up to 10 notes a week from people grateful for the project, including an emotional e-mail Sunday morning from the wife of a Canadian soldier killed in Afghanistan. She thanked him and Hillier for starting Project Hero, noting she hopes to be able to enrol her son in the program.
"It nearly brought tears to my eyes," said Reed.
Fittingly, Loyalist is the first college to join the program. Reed said he’d hoped to first secure the universities before branching out into colleges, but the quick support of Loyalist College president Maureen Piercy, the new honorary colonel of Trenton’s 8 Air Communication and Control Squadron, has put Project Hero ahead of schedule.
The pair met in July at Trenton’s Canadian Forces Anniversary Weekend and Piercy’s support was immediate.
"I’m just thrilled Maureen picked it up and drove it through her school," said Reed. "Loyalist College is a valuable link in our national initiative."
Piercy said her school is proud to offer the scholarship program beginning in September.
"This is an important recognition of the incredible work of individuals in the Canadian Forces as they serve our country every day," she said. "As Canadians we must be mindful of the individual sacrifices which are being made on our behalf. Project Hero is one way to provide that recognition."
While many people share Piercy’s feelings, she deserves credit for putting substance behind those sentiments, as does Reed for taking a great idea and making it a reality.
It looks easy after the fact, but it required commitment to make it happen. Reed, Piercy and everyone at Loyalist College and at Project Hero deserve our thanks and recognition for that.
For details of Loyalist College Project Hero scholarship contact the awards officer at 613-962-1913 ext. 2202.
© 2009 Belleville Intelligencer (ON). All rights reserved.