Making an impact in-between
Established to honour the legacy of our beloved son and brother, the Mark Wilkie Memorial Scholarship is intended to provide educational support for students who are purposefully making an impact in the lives of others – not necessarily during moments of structured or scheduled activities, but instead during those moments that are “in-between.”
Mark was an outgoing, funny, brave young man who had a smile for everyone. He was a student athlete who loved being involved and found joy playing D1 Volleyball, cycling and juggling. He was an honours-with-distinction student, an avid Duke of Edinburgh participant, and was on the yearbook committee as well as co-chair and facilitator of Respect for Diversity (RFD) and PLAYAS committees at his high school.
But more important than any of that, Mark purposefully and consistently led with kindness. Not just within his own circle of friends or grade level, but within the entire student body and community. He did so not only inside all of these activities, but diligently and willfully in-between them.
Mark’s ability to seize the small opportunities for acts of genuine kindness in-between class, in-between lunch, in-between practice, in-between committee meetings, and in-between sports and truly make people feel seen, valued, safe and included was both astonishing and rare inside the microcosm of high school and university, where staying within your clique or squad is often the socially accepted and easier thing to do.
As person after person after person spoke at his memorial, it became clear what an enormous impact he had on people during these in-between moments – stepping outside of the social norms of school to make a true difference in the lives of others.
To that end, the focus of this scholarship is not on academic performance, extracurricular activities or structured community involvement. It is instead about how you are choosing to make an impact in the lives of others, seemingly big or small, during those important in-between moments.
Scholarship eligibility criteria
To be eligible for this award, applicants must be a Grade 12 Horton High School student pursuing a post-secondary education at a Canadian university or community college.
Candidates will be adjudicated on the extent to which they embody Mark’s determination to consciously act on kindness towards others during the in-between moments in life.
Award number and frequency
Typically, there will be one $1,000 scholarship awarded annually; however the donor reserves the right to give this scholarship on a more or less frequent basis and amount as income levels and CFNS permit.
The deadline for applications is April 15.