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When donors to the Stratford School founded the Global Business and Digital Arts (GBDA) Entrance Scholarship in 2024, they created two firsts. The first scholarship recipient is also the first in her family to attend university: Lia, a student from St. Catharines, currently finishing her first year at the School.

A university degree dramatically enriches a young person’s life path: introducing new ideas, places and people, broader career possibilities, and on average, leads to 44 percent more income than the median over a lifespan¹.

But not every student with the potential to enter university has the means to do it. And as life gets more expensive for all of us, more and more talented young people are finding their dreams of higher education slipping out of their grasp.

That’s why the GBDA entrance scholarship is so transformative: it’s designed to help bright teens from disadvantaged backgrounds imagine new possibilities for themselves.

“Attending the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ is a privilege I deeply appreciate,” says Lia. “Receiving this entrance award has significantly impacted my life. Prior to this support, I worked part-time to manage my expenses and support my family, which made it challenging to save for university.”

Lia’s love for design drew her to study user experience design. Now, she dreams of a career creating meaningful digital experiences: “Success is important to me—not only to support my family, but to achieve my ambitions.” Support in that first academic year is especially critical, before a paycheck from a co-op positions begins. “As a first-year student, I am particularly excited about the co-op opportunities that will allow me to gain essential skills and experiences,” Lia says.

A sometimes under-appreciated element of financial support: the time it gives students to try out extracurriculars—“extras” that, in reality, can be critical to forming strong relationships and building soft skills. Lia appreciates the freedom to try out new things on campus: “Whether it's trying out for clubs like "Fashion for Change," attending events like the carnival, or hosting study sessions with friends, I strive to engage fully with the community,” she says.

And beyond the money itself, an entrance scholarship has the power to change the way students see themselves and their place in the world. Your gift is a vote of confidence that students feel deeply, and also proof that people care. “If I had the chance to invite any guest to a dinner table, it would be my donors,” Lia says. “They have profoundly changed the trajectory of my journey, and I am committed to passing on this kindness in the future.”

1. Statistics Canada. "Income of Canadians, 2020." Retrieved from