The first student award for York University’s Markham Centre Campus (MCC) has been established through an endowment from the Alex Chiu Golf Tournament.
The Alex Chiu Community Involvement Award in Markham is an entrance award to benefit incoming undergraduate students at MCC and has been established through the support of the annual tournament and its organizers.
Alex Chiu
The award will provide one student per year $1,000. At the heart of this award is community involvement. To be eligible, applicants must be entering MCC from a Markham high school with an average GPA of 70 per cent or higher. Students will be asked to highlight their community involvement in an essay.
Alex Chiu held a seat as city councillor in Markham for 33 years. Known for his community spirit, he has supported the economic and community growth of the city at council and through many projects and fundraising initiatives. His fundraising efforts also extend internationally and include financial donations to the victims of Japan’s tsunami disaster, Haiti’s earthquake and a mudslide in the Philippines.
Over 20 years, the Alex Chiu Golf Tournament has donated more than $2 million to many organizations including the YMCA in Markham, each York Region hospital, the Community Safety Village, ALS Double Play, Power Unit Youth Organization, and the Centre for Immigrant and Community Services, amongst others.
The golf tournament’s organizers created this student award for MCC because of Chiu’s belief in investing in our youth. Support for education at MCC will ensure the future generation of workers who will contribute to establishing the City of Markham’s reputation as a world-class city.
“Giving back to the community is something that has always been important to me, as I too have benefited from the kindness of volunteers,” said Chiu. “What has impressed me the most is our youth and their ability to help move our community forward. Investing in our young people is one of the best gifts you can give; they are our future and I am more than happy to help students who are helping others.”
“It is so exciting to see the Markham community support our future students,” said Lucy Fromowitz, York University’s vice-provost students. “This award really exemplifies the students we know will be attracted to the innovative programs offered at Markham, as it considers both academic merit and demonstrated community involvement.”
The new Markham Centre Campus will be the first public university campus in York Region. It will open in 2023 and will offer employer-aligned degree programs, certificates and other credentials – with a rich array of experiential education activities – in high-demand areas such as business and entrepreneurship, data analytics, new media and communications. It will be a campus focused not only on the needs of York Region’s burgeoning population of young people, but also mid-career workers upskilling to meet the needs of a rapidly changing economy.
“The hands-on learning opportunities offered at Markham will prepare our students for the jobs of the future, and award opportunities like this will certainly assist our students to access these exceptional learning opportunities,” said Fromowitz.
Until the projected academic start date for MCC is announced, incoming undergraduate students from a Markham high school attending the Keele Campus will also be eligible to apply for the Alex Chiu Community Involvement Award in Markham.
The award will be adjudicated by the Office of Student Financial Services until such time as there is an appropriate adjudicating body at the Markham Centre Campus.
For more information, contact Student Financial Services.