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Diversity at Shawnigan
At Shawnigan, bringing the most promising, well-rounded students to campus for a co-educational experience that forges them intellectually, socially and personally—no matter their background—is the core of our mission. Our need-based financial aid program ensures that Shawnigan remains within reach for every extraordinary student and, as such, is an expression of our community’s most enduring values.
Our founder, C.W. Lonsdale, believed that exceptional students are deserving of a Shawnigan education regardless of financial means. To honour this vision, our general financial assistance is referred to as Founder’s Bursaries. In addition, we have major scholarships that are awarded to top students based on both need and merit. These important sources of support have been funded by generations of Shawnigan supporters who have established endowed or Board-designated funds within the Shawnigan Lake School Foundation to provide support in perpetuity to outstanding students. We are focused on aggressively growing our endowment to help us meet our diversity goals and provide more support for students in need. If you would like information on establishing scholarship funds, please contact a member of our Advancement & Community Engagement team.
Today, 40% of Shawnigan families receive some form of financial aid. Upon receiving bursaries or scholarships, students and their families commit to share in the financial responsibility for their education by pledging to ‘pay it forward’ for another Shawnigan student in the future. This year, we are also pleased to announce the launch of Shawnigan’s Entrance Awards, a select number of merit-based awards, including the Indigenous People of Canada Leadership Award, the Pacific West Coast Leadership Award, the Residents of Alberta Leadership Award, the Himalayan Leadership Award, the Co-Educational Global Leadership Award, and the All-Round Merit Award. These are a tangible reflection of the diversity, inclusion, access, and global awareness we wish to foster and develop at Shawnigan.
We are so grateful to all donors who have contributed to this important part of our community. Scholarships and financial aid are part of the essence of Shawnigan, and we thank all that have contributed—and will contribute—to make it so.
Special Acknowledgement & Thank You In Spring 2020, when the COVID pandemic forced Shawnigan's campus to close, our community pulled together to see the School through a crisis. To help reduce financial burdens and support others in need, 68 Shawnigan staff members volunteered for reductions in pay to raise a collective $154,845. Furthermore, 100% of our Governors and Foundations Directors pledged their support for a Founder's Fund that has ensured all students could 'return home' to Shawnigan in fall 2020. The matching program established through this Board support has helped us raise $441,657 so far from generous parents, alumni, and staff, and we have already distributed over $100,000 to families that have been heavily impacted by the pandemic. We will continue to ensure that students receive the support that they need in the years ahead.
