Dr. Fearon established this scholarship because he is an advocate for post-secondary education, and graduate studies. The Dr. Gervan Fearon Scholarship supports students of Black, African, or Caribbean heritage from the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) who are pursuing post-secondary or graduate studies in Canadian colleges or universities.

About Dr. Gervan Fearon

Dr. Gervan Fearon became President of George Brown College in August 2021. Previously he served as the President and Vice-Chancellor at Brock University and at Brandon University. He has held numerous roles in post-secondary education, including Vice-President, Academic, at Brandon University; Dean of the G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education at The Metropolitan University; Associate Dean at York University’s Atkinson Faculty of Liberal and Professional Studies; Visiting Scholar at the University of Washington; and as an Associate Professor at York University. His career also included serving as the Executive Assistant to the Deputy Minister at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and a Senior Analyst at the Treasury Board, Ontario Ministry of Finance. He has also served on numerous community boards, including Ontario Trillium Foundation, Brandon Urban Aboriginal Peoples’ Council, United Way Niagara, Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce, and the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto. He was also Co-Chair of the Niagara Region’s Community Safety and Well-Being Planning Committee, Chair of the Budget and Audit Committee of Council of Ontario Universities, and President of Tropicana Community Services. Gervan was a co-founder of the Canada Caribbean Institute, along with Sir Hilary Beckles, Vice-Chancellor, The University of the West Indies. Gervan is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2013), The Michaëlle Jean Foundation Influencer Award (2017), The University of the West Indies Vice-Chancellor’s Award (2020) and several other awards of recognition.

Scholarship Eligibility

This scholarship is open to applicants who are:

• Residents of the Greater Toronto Area.
• Individuals who are accepted to or are enrolled in any Canadian college or university.
• Persons of Black, African, or Caribbean heritage, or who identify as Black.
• Family members of Tropicana Community Services’ employees are eligible for this scholarship.

Scholarship Amount

$2,000.00

How to Apply

Applications require the following information:

1. A 500–800-word essay which includes:
   • A brief biography.
   • An explanation of your long-term goals once your studies are complete.
2. Your school transcripts.
3. Your academic budget, showing all expected costs and funding. An example budget and template have been provided to assist you.
   Example Template
4. Proof of any relevant achievements such as certificates, photos, news clippings, a confirmation letter from a credible source, etc.
5. Two letters of reference from non-relatives.
6. A letter of acceptance or a proof of enrollment from a recognized college or university.
7. Any other documents that will help support this application.

Before completing your application, we recommend reading our application guide.

Application Guide

Scholarship Deadline

The deadline for applying for this award is midnight on June 30 of the current year. If you apply after this deadline, your application will be considered next year.

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