Durham College President Leah Myers thanks business executive Jeffrey Boyce for his $125,000 donation to support Durham College students during an announcement on campus November 16.
Durham College alumni Jeffrey and Julia Boyce visited their alma mater to announce a significant donation that will support students for years to come.
The Boyces, who graduated in 1980 from the General Business-Marketing program, made the announcement at the Oshawa campus on November 16, detailing a generous gift to both Durham College and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) that will be divided into three areas that reflect their commitment to students and developing engineering talent in emerging energy technologies: Durham College student awards; UOIT student awards; and equipment for UOIT's Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science.
"Julia and I have always had a strong commitment to supporting community, and there is no better way of showing that commitment than through supporting your alma mater," said Boyce, who was honoured in 2006 with a Durham College Alumnus of Distinction Award and an Ontario Premier's Award, which recognizes excellence amongst the province's college graduates. "Durham College and UOIT's programs have provided an avenue that allows us the opportunity to support both institutions, as well as developing areas which we are passionate about, the energy business and the environment. We are very pleased to be involved in this new endeavour and wish the institutions, the lab and the students involved great success now and in the future."
A $125,000 donation to Durham College will establish the Jeffrey and Julia Boyce Endowment Fund, which will provide five annual awards of $2,000 to second- and third-year Durham College business students with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 and in financial need. The donation qualifies for the provincial government's Ontario Trust for Student Support (OTSS) matching program, creating a permanent endowment of $250,000.
"On behalf of Durham College, I would like to thank Jeffrey and Julia Boyce for this remarkable gift, the single largest gift ever from Durham College graduates," said Leah Myers, president of Durham College. "It is a great honour to be recognized by such outstanding alumni who are setting a wonderful example for our alumni and students. The Boyces generous donation will deliver more opportunities for Durham College students to pursue our high-quality programs, which deliver the skills needed to pursue rewarding and challenging careers and to make a difference in their communities, much like the Boyces have in their career pursuits."
Jeffrey Boyce, a member of the Oshawa and Alberta Sports Halls of Fame, was recruited to the Dome Petroleum fastball team due to his pitching talents. He began his career as an oil scout for Dome Petroleum, which proved to be a stepping stone to spectacular career success. Along with Sure Energy, Boyce is a director of three other energy companies, two of which are traded on TSX exchanges; is the co-founder and former president and CEO of Vermilion Resources Ltd. (converted to Vermilion Energy Trust in 2003), a $2.4-billion international oil and gas energy trust; and served as the president, chief executive officer and director of Sound Energy Trust and Pedco Energy.
Julia Boyce's philanthropic work includes involvement with the grants committee for the Calgary Foundation, an organization that since 1955 has supported charities of all sizes working in the arts, community development, education, health, human services and recreation.