Uggla Family Scholars: Nurturing community atop Burnaby Mountain

SFU proudly welcomed 10 new Uggla Family Scholarship (UFS) recipients to Burnaby Mountain last fall, bringing the total number of scholars to 19. 

As the new cohort settles in to university life, students from both 2021 and 2022 cohorts are getting to know each other and have participated in several mentorship and networking events, enriching both their academic and social experiences.  

The UFS program is sustained by SFU alumnus and business leader Lance Uggla (BBA ’85) and his family, whose landmark commitment of $34.1 million to SFU in 2020 provides support in perpetuity for exceptional students who may not otherwise have access to post-secondary education. 

Lance and family members paid a visit to Burnaby campus in early September to connect with the growing community of Uggla Family Scholars. During the gathering, Lance imparted some words of wisdom for finding a path to success. 

“As you move forward, it’s so important to connect the dots between the knowledge you’re gaining and what you envision for your future career,” Lance said. “Succeeding academically is important, but experiential learning is invaluable. And you’ll never know how it may apply to your profession if you don’t seize opportunities for solid work experience along the way.” 

The students enjoyed hearing Lance share from his own lived experience. As scholarship program manager Bernard Ryu attests, this is just one of the many elements that make the UFS program so special. 

“To be able to sit alongside leaders like Lance—to hear from him, ask questions, and learn how he’s forged his way—is such a unique experience for these young people. We also have a virtual event with the London School of Economics where our students network with scholarship recipients of a similar program Lance has founded there.” 

The students also had the opportunity to meet other major scholarship holders at SFU at an event this fall, further broadening their local connections. 

“This year’s Uggla Family Scholars have not only bonded well with each other, but also with a variety of emerging scholars and leaders throughout the university,” says Bernard. 

Even just a few months into the second year, it’s clear that the Uggla Family Scholarship program is nurturing a robust and growing community. We at SFU are honoured to partner with the Uggla family to facilitate pathways for these future changemakers and emerging leaders and cannot wait to see what they do next. 

For more information about the Uggla Family Program, please visit: www.sfu.ca/uggla-family-scholars