Impact of Giving

The University of New Brunswick is proud to announce the 2021 recipients of the Beaverbrook Scholars Award, rewarding New Brunswick’s most exceptional students for their academic abilities and community involvement. This year’s recipients are Bailey Desjardins, Haley Prosser and Marika Wesselius.

The Beaverbrook Scholars Award is valued at $50,000 over four years and is awarded to outstanding New Brunswick high school graduates pursuing undergraduate degree programs at UNB. This year marks 40 years of the Beaverbrook Scholars Award at UNB.

Bailey Desjardins of Grand Manan is enrolled in the bachelor of philosophy in interdisciplinary leadership program at UNB Fredericton’s Renaissance College. Desjardins is active in many extracurricular activities at Grand Manan Community School, including the students’ representative council, drama, gender-sexuality alliance, and yearbook. She has attended student leadership conferences at both the provincial and national levels and has worked summers throughout high school at the Grand Manan Museum. This year, she was one of 30 New Brunswick students selected as delegates for Imagine NB, an intensive intercultural leadership accelerator organized by the New Brunswick Multicultural Council to support the ideas, talents and passions of immigrant youth.

Haley Prosser comes to UNB from Petitcodiac Regional High School. Prosser is the editor of her school’s yearbook and has been a member of the drama club throughout middle and high school. Her extensive volunteer experience includes the Lorna Hicks Youth and Cultural Centre and the Petitcodiac Village Youth Council, where she worked alongside elected council members for the benefit of village youth. She has attended the Tim Hortons Leadership Camp and was selected as a youth mentor at YouthStock 2017. Prior to pandemic closures, Prosser was nominated as Petitcodiac’s Village Youth of the Year. Prosser will begin a bachelor of arts on UNB’s Fredericton campus in September.

Marika Wesselius of Searsville is a student at Belleisle Regional High School. As well as being student council president, Wesselius plays high school soccer and volleyball. She has been a long-time 4H member and is currently president of the Farm Fresh 4H Club. An avid competitive equestrian, she has worked two jobs throughout high school and summer breaks to help pay for the fees associated with the sport. On top of this, she finds time to volunteer, mentoring young equestrians, tutoring math, and assisting with the Belleisle Harvest Auction. Wesselius will begin a bachelor of science in September on UNB’s Fredericton campus.

The Beaverbrook Scholarships have been awarded at the University of New Brunswick since 1920. The scholarship program was initiated by Sir William Maxwell Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook, PC, ONB to help shape future leaders. In 1979, former scholars worked together to establish the modern-day Beaverbrook Scholars Awards in honour of their former benefactor, so that they might continue the tradition of helping shape future leaders as he had done.

The Beaverbrook Scholars Award, created and maintained by former Beaverbrook Scholars, has been awarded since 1981 to a total of 92 exceptional graduates of New Brunswick high schools who display high academic ability and financial need, and make extraordinary contributions to their communities. The Beaverbrook Scholars are a strong network of leaders who have helped institute important advancements in many local, provincial and national sectors.

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