September 11th, 2024
Since 2022, Commissionaires has awarded bursaries to post-secondary students who are employees or family members of employees.
When the program started, $12,500 was awarded to five students. In 2023, $25,000 was awarded to ten students. For 2024, Commissionaires is awarding $35,000 in bursaries to 20 students. This marks the highest total amount ever distributed by the program and represents the largest number of recipients for one year.
“We’re very happy to help our employees or their families achieve their academic goals,” said Commissionaires Chief of Staff, retired naval captain Harry Harsch.
The bursaries are made possible by the generous support of BMO, The Personal and the Heroes Vacation Club.
The recipients of this year’s National Bursary Program are:
Aimee Badger
Dan Hillyer
Dan is a security guard with our Northern Alberta Division. He’s also in the third year of a psychology degree at Athabasca University. Dan says every school year gets more interesting, but this year, he’s particularly excited to learn about counselling interviews, personality and social psychology.
Eunice Kekumba
Gabriel Pablo
Gabriel is in his final year of a biology degree at York University. He was sponsored for this bursary by his father, Ignacio Pablo, who works in airport security with our Newfoundland and Labrador Division. Gabriel is looking forward to networking and starting a career in his field of study.
Gudisa Tufa
Gudisa is starting a commerce degree at the University of Saskatchewan. He was sponsored for this bursary by his father, Abebe Biratu, who is a security guard with our North Saskatchewan Division. Gudisa is excited to be surrounded by diverse and like-minded people!
Jagroop Singh
Jagroop is a security guard with our Great Lakes Division. He’s also in his last year of a business diploma at Niagara College. Jagroop is excited to apply everything he’s learned in school to real-world scenarios.
Johnathan Johnston
Corporal Johnathan Johnston is a part-time security guard with our New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island Division. He’s also starting the fourth year of a psychology degree at the University of New Brunswick. He’s looking forward to working on original research with his professor.
Kale Lucas
Kale is in his first year of a psychology degree at Laurentian University. He was sponsored for this bursary by his grandfather, Kevin Laskey, who works with our New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island Division. Kale is looking forward to learning as much as he can this year!
Melanie Usher
Melanie is in her third year of a social work degree at the University of Calgary. She was sponsored for this bursary by her grandmother, Mary Constance Hendrickson, who is an RCMP detention guard with our Northern Alberta Division. Melanie is looking forward to taking courses that focus on supporting individuals and families with disabilities, a path she hopes to pursue after graduation.
Moesa Malik
Mohamed-Taha Moncer
When Mohamed-Taha isn’t working part-time as a security guard for our Ottawa Division, he’s pursuing a degree in health sciences with a minor in biology at the University of Ottawa. Now in his third year, Mohamed-Taha is excited to take classes and labs that will prepare him for his future career as a physiotherapist.
Mussie Tewelde
While working as a security guard at the Ronald MacDonald House with our Northern Alberta Division, Mussie will be continuing his nursing degree at MacEwan University. His goal for the school year is to do more volunteer work in his field of study.
Muyiwa Oyesakin
Muyiwa is a security guard with our Northern Alberta Division and in January, he’ll be starting an automotive service technology diploma at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. He’s looking forward to a challenging and exciting semester.
Ogechi Agbo
Patrick Shyintum
Patrick is a security guard in Nunavut with our Northern Alberta Division and is starting a master’s in education at the University of Prince Edward Island. He’s looking forward to taking advantage of all the resources available to him.
Rebecca Slater
Rebecca is in her final year of law school at the University of Calgary but is starting the semester on exchange in Denmark at the University of Copenhagen. She was sponsored for this bursary by her father, John Slater, who works in the finance department at our Southern Alberta Division. Rebecca is looking forward to immersing herself in Danish culture!
Sarah Dupuis
Sarah is in the fourth year of a degree in social development studies at the University of Waterloo. Sarah was sponsored for this bursary by her father, Lawrence Dupuis, who works as a security guard with our Kingston and Region Division. This year, Sarah plans to continue advocating for Angelman Syndrome awareness and will volunteer with a team of paediatric rehabilitation therapists.
Shannon Brock
Shannon is in the second year of an education degree at Nipissing University. Shannon was sponsored for this bursary by her father, George Wilmot, who is a security operations centre commissionaire at our Ottawa Division. Shannon is one step closer to achieving her childhood dream of teaching and helping students achieve their own dreams.
Sophia Arguedas
Sophia is starting her second year of a music and education degree at the University of Alberta. She was sponsored for this bursary by her grandfather, Kevin Reid, a commissionaire with our Northern Alberta Division. Sophia is excited to learn more about music and education and take advantage of any opportunities that come her way this year.
Vaishnavi Bhardwaj
Vaishnavi is a station attendant with our British Columbia Division and is currently in the final year of a master’s in industrial and organizational psychology at Adler University. Vaishnavi is excited to conclude this academic journey with a co-op placement in her field.
Are you interested in applying for next year’s National Bursary Program?
The 2025 bursary program will be open to applicants in April 2025. You can visit our website for the latest updates.
To be deemed eligible, you must:
- Be employed full or part-time as a commissionaire (having completed a minimum of six months of work and be serving at the time of the application) or be an immediate family member of a qualifying commissionaire (spouse, child, stepchild, grandchild or step-grandchild);
- Have been accepted into a Canadian, government recognized, post-secondary institution (universities, colleges, and vocational schools where high school completion is the normal entrance prerequisite);
- Have a valid Social Insurance Number (SIN); and
- Not be a previous recipient of the Commissionaires National Bursary Program.
A call for applications is issued each spring and funding is awarded before the start of the school year.