Founder's Fund

One of Shawnigan founder C.W. Lonsdale’s core principles was that exceptional students are deserving of a Shawnigan education regardless of financial means. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many Shawnigan families are facing daunting financial challenges, and the School community is stepping forward to uphold the founder's ethic. To help families who may struggle to re-enroll for September, the School has established a new crisis financial aid program, the Founder’s Fund.

 

“The Founder's Fund is designed to help returning families who may otherwise be unable to re-enroll their children this year,” explains Chair of the Board of Governors Fiona Macfarlane. The Founder's (Financial Aid) Committee is already reviewing applications from families who have either requested financial aid for the first time, or are in need of extra support due to lost income as a result of COVID-19. The goal is to ensure that all students are able to return 'home' to Shawnigan in September.

 

“I am always inspired when our students and alumni talk of their ‘brothers and sisters’ in the Houses and how Shawnigan is their ‘second home,’” shares Headmaster Larry Lamont. “If, in the face of today’s unparalleled challenges, you are in a position to help us bring all our students ‘home’, please support the Founder’s Fund.”

 

The Founder’s Fund has benefitted from a 100% participation rate amongst Shawnigan’s Board of Governors and Foundation Board members. Hearing the call to support Shawnigan families, these committed volunteers quickly pledged $250,000 to create a matching program for Founder’s Fund donations. This means that every donation to the Founder’s Fund will automatically be doubled for the benefit of students in need until we reach our overall goal of $500,000 for the program.

 

Executive Director of Advancement & Community Engagement Greg Stevenson reports that Shawnigan families have also been stepping forward in recent weeks to generously support the Founder's Fund, with some generously donating as much as a full boarding tuition and many others gifting their tuition credit from the spring term. These donations and the matching program combined currently stand at $400,000, and the goal is to add another $100,000 to the fund by June 30.

 

“This generosity and unwavering commitment is a perfect example of the Shawnigan community pulling together in a time of crisis—something that we have successfully done many times in the School’s 104 year history,” says Mr. Stevenson. “We have one of the most generous financial assistance programs in the country, with a focused goal of building diversity in the School to reflect the world in which our students will live their lives. The Founder’s Fund will enable us to continue working toward that goal.”

If you are interested in donating to the Founder’s Fund, please email advancement@shawnigan.ca or donate securely online. If you are interested in applying for financial assistance from the Founder’s Fund, either as new financial support or to supplement existing financial assistance, please email financialaid@shawnigan.ca to find out more about the process.