Canadian Printing Industries Scholarship Trust Fund to provide $56,000 in scholarships this year

In keeping with the primary objective of the Canadian Printing Industries Scholarship Trust Fund (CPISTF), its Board of Trustees has announced that a total of $56,000 in scholarship funding has been awarded to students for the current school year. At its Trustee meeting held in May, it was agreed to increase the scholarship from $1,250 per year to $1,500 per year to help offset the increasing student costs of tuition. A total of $38,000 was awarded to 23 new students enrolled in the first year of an approved course of study. A further $18,000 was provided to 12 continuing students already enrolled in the scholarship program.

While the value of each annual scholarship is $1,500, the Board of Trustees at their August meeting also agreed that students exhibiting a high level of talent are eligible for a Warren Wilkins Prestige Scholarship with a value of $5,000. The Trustees were pleased to award just such a scholarship to Courtney Thompson who will be attending Nova Scotia Community College beginning in September. “Every year the Board of Trustees is challenged to select the best and brightest as recipients of our scholarships, and this year was no exception,” said Don Gain, Chairman of the Fund. “We’re pleased to be able to support 34 students in their pursuit of a career in the graphic communications industry.’’
The CPISTF was initiated in 1971 through the efforts of a group of visionary printing industry executives. Since then, over a million dollars has been donated to the Fund as a result of the generosity of firms and individuals associated with the printing industries in Canada. The primary objective of the Fund is to attract the most talented young people available to the printing industry by providing financial assistance to them while they’re enrolled in an approved graphic arts management or technical program. All scholarship applicants must be enrolled in, or plan to be enrolled in, a full-time two, three or four-year approved program and exhibit a commitment to pursue a career in the printing industry. Part-time students or those enrolled in design or art courses are not eligible. The Fund exists exclusively for the benefit of the printing industry in Canada and the Trustees are comprised of recognized industry. The current members of the Board of Trustees are:
Ms. Mary Black, Mary Black Recruiting, Toronto ON
Mr. Tom Blockberger, Vancouver BC
Mr. Bruce Bond, Toronto, ON
Mr. Wayne Burroughs (Treasurer), Burlington ON
Mr. Bob Cockerill, Toronto, ON
Mr. Mike Collinge, Webcom, Toronto, ON
Mr. Jeff Ekstein, Willow Printing Group, Vaughan, ON
Mr. Don Gain (Chairman), Harmony Printing Limited, Toronto ON
Mr. Michael Hill, Mississauga ON
Mr. Harold Hoff, Heidelberg Canada, Mississauga, On.
Mr. Mike Mcinnes, Transcontinental Printing, Brampton, ON
Mr. Sean Murray, Advocate Printing and Publishing Co. Ltd., Pictou, NS
Rob Young, Pollard Banknote Limited, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Mr. Ron Schroder, Canadian Flexographic Training Committee, ON
Mr. Jeff Taylor, Hemlock Printers Ltd., Burnaby BC
Mr. Cory Turner, Spicers, Vaughan ON
Mr. Warren Wilkins (Past Chairman), Richmond Hill ON
Ms. Willy Wilkins, Richmond Hill, ON
Ex-officio
Ian Bates, Ryerson University
Wayne Collins, British Columbia Institute of Technology
How to contribute
Only the generous support provided by firms and individuals involved in the Canadian printing industry will enable the Fund to continue to provide financial assistance to students in their courses of study in the graphic arts. As the Board of Trustees stated: “We’re committed to the premise that it makes good business sense to help the brightest and best students achieve their scholastic goals.’’
All contributions are tax deductible and should be directed to: Bob Kirk, Canadian Printing Industries Scholarship Trust Fund, 11 Alderbrook Place, Bolton, Ontario L7E 1V3. For more information please call Bob at (416) 524-1954, email r.kirk@printscholarships.ca or visit www.printscholarships.ca.