Scholarships & Financial Assistance


With education costs on the rise, enhancing student assistance is a top priority for Acadia. Each year, we award more than $4 million to students in the form of scholarships, scholar-bursaries, bursaries, awards, and prizes. By maintaining a strong scholarship and financial assistance program, we are able to attract, retain and support our students.

As a donor to scholarships and financial assistance, you can direct your gift toward: general award funds or awards for specific departments, faculties, research, or athletic teams; any existing named awards; or you can create a personal legacy by establishing a named award yourself. By supporting scholarships and financial assistance, you can help to ensure access to all of the rewards of an Acadia education.

If you would like to give generally to the Scholarships and Financial Aid, please click here.

Haldane A. Hynes Memorial Award

Award

The Haldane A. Hynes Memorial Award is awarded on a renewable basis to entering or returning students in a degree program with demonstrated financial need.

Haldane A. (Hal) Hynes graduated from Acadia University in 1979 with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. After Acadia, Hal enjoyed almost 24 years with the Canadian Forces. As a Navigator on the Aurora aircraft, Hal spent the majority of his career in Greenwood, NS, and was selected to serve as Commanding Officer of 404 (MP&T) Squadron from 2001 – 2003. He passed away in 2004 as a result of cancer, while still a member of the Canadian Forces.

Hal was a natural born leader and truly loved life. Hal held a wide variety of interests and was passionate about lifelong learning. He believed in the value of post-secondary education and it is the hope that this award honouring such a special person will assist others in the pursuit of their own academic goals and endeavours.

The award was established in 2006 by Mrs. Janet G. Hynes in loving memory of her husband.

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Hannah Miller Memorial Award

Award

The Hannah Miller Memorial Award is awarded annually to a returning student, chosen based on equal consideration for an individual who best demonstrates involvement, energy and enthusiasm for minor hockey, good academic achievement and leadership in female hockey. The recipient will be chosen by a selection committee, chaired by the Director of the School of Kinesiology. The award was established in 2011 in memory of Hannah Miller, a 7 year old player in the Acadia Minor Hockey Association (AMHA), to perpetuate the legacy of her love and enthusiasm for hockey.

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Harcourt L. Cameron Award

Award | Eligibility: Pure and Applied Science, Geology

The Harcourt L. Cameron Award. The Fletcher Geology Club has provided for an annual award of books or instruments to be made to any geology student who is a member of the Club and whose achievements in geology merit praise.

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Harold Ryan Award in Engineering

Award of up to $1,000 | Eligibility: Pure and Applied Science, Applied Science

Established in 2015 by Marjorie Matheson (’48) in memory of her brother, the Harold Ryan Award in Engineering is granted to a full-time student in the Ivan Curry School of Engineering on the recommendation of Faculty.

Originally from Truro, Harold Ryan studied engineering at Acadia until 1947 before completing his education at Nova Scotia Technical College in Halifax. He worked with Nova Scotia Power prior to moving to New Jersey and California for the rest of his career.

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Harry Thurston Award in Environmental and Sustainability Studies

Award | Eligibility: Environmental and Sustainability Studies, Current 3rd year

Established in 2021 by Ron Smith ('71) in honour of his lifelong friend, Harry Thurston ('71, DL '13), this award is granted on a renewable basis to a third-year student in any degree program majoring in Environmental and Sustainability Studies. Preferably demonstrating financial need, the recipient

is committed to improving and advocating for environmental issues as evidenced in academic projects, outreach and/or community-based work.

Harry Thurston and Ron Smith grew up together in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia and both attended Acadia in the late 1960s. Harry earned a BSc in Biology and Ron received his BCO in 1971.

With a distinguished career as a journalist and poet, Harry has spent his life writing about and being a citizen advocate on environmental issues, and was recognized with an honorary degree from Acadia in 2013. With more than two dozen books published, Harry has also published articles in thirty magazines, including National Geographic, Audubon, Equinox, Harrowsmith and Canadian Geographic, garnering several national journalism awards.

Ron's career post-Acadia saw him as a senior business and community leader in Nova Scotia, including five years as Chair of Acadia's Board of Governors. This gift is intended to remind its beneficiaries, as they make their life choices and diverse contributions to the common good, that nothing is more valuable than lasting friendship.

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Hawkins-Scoon STEM Athletic Award

Award | Eligibility: Athletics, Pure and Applied Science

Awarded annually to a returning varsity cross-country student athlete, the Hawkins-Scoon STEM Award recognizes strong leadership qualities as evidenced through commitment to Acadia varsity athletics and academic achievement. Preference will be given to a female student from Acadia WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) to empower and encourage women in the pursuit of STEM careers.

Established in 2019, the award was made possible through the generosity of Dr. Nicole Hawkins-Scoon. Nicole completed her Bachelor of Science in Nutrition with Honours at Acadia in 2004 before pursuing her medical career in Dermatology. During her time at Acadia Nicole was a Varsity Cross-Country runner, Track & Field athlete, and a member of the Acadia Power Cheer team. Nicole is a strong advocate for women in STEM.

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Heartland Mutual Insurance Awards

Award of up to $2,500 | Eligibility: Athletics, Professional Studies, Business Administration

Established in 2023 by Heartland Mutual Insurance. To be awarded to a returning male and female varsity athlete enrolled in a business program with a focus on Accounting, Finance or Marketing that has a strong academic record and may demonstrate financial need. The recipients will be chosen by Director of Athletics.

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Contact

Office of Advancement
Rm 225 University Hall
15 University Avenue
Wolfville, NS, B4P 2R6, Canada
General Inquiries: 902.585.1026
To make a donation: 902.585.1912
Toll Free in North America:
1.866.ACADIA (1.866.222.3428)
advancement@acadiau.ca

Charitable Registration #: 106681893 RR0001