Community

Community support helps establish endowed scholarship in honour of former dean Dr. Bhagwan Dua

The University of Lethbridge Faculty of Arts & Science is pleased to announce the inaugural Wine & Dine Arts & Science Scholarship Dinner has raised over $80,000 in support of student scholarships.

Cathy Kanashiro holds a picture of honouree Dr. Bhagwan Dua, during the inaugural Wine & Dine Arts & Science Scholarship Dinner.

Thanks to the generous support of donors, the Dr. Bhagwan Dua Memorial Scholarship has been endowed with enough funds to award two scholarships per year to students pursuing a degree from the Faculty of Arts & Science. One scholarship will be awarded to a first-year student while the other will be awarded to a continuing student.

“This was a spectacular event,” says Dr. Craig Cooper, dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science, on the dinner that honoured former Dean and Professor Emeritus, Dr. Bhagwan Dua. “The room had a vibrant energy, demonstrating the University community’s passion and dedication to making education accessible to students, and the value it places on empowering students to unlock their potential.”

The investment is part of the U of L’s SHINE campaign and highlights the community’s involvement in supporting students and promoting opportunities for them to thrive while working to achieve their academic goals.

Raman Chohan, a student who was recruited by Dua on a trip to India, says his legacy will surely live in future generations of students.

“He believed in education, and that all have a right to an education,” says Chohan. “A scholarship in his honour is surely going to benefit continuing students and new students who come to the U of L. This is the best way to pay tribute to him and carry on his legacy, as he was a big believer that education can change your destiny. I am sure that he is looking down and smiling.”

Dr. Peter McCormick, a close friend and colleague of Dua, reminisces about his warm personality, and passion and commitment to the University.

“There can be no more appropriate way to honour Dua than through a scholarship for students in his beloved Faculty of Arts & Science, and there can be no better advice to the future recipients of this scholarship than to emulate his enthusiasm, his courtesy and his deep dedication to this wonderful institution.”

The Dua family is honoured by the spirit of the scholarship awards and how they reflect his love of education and the opportunities it can create.

“By establishing this scholarship in the name of Dr. Bhagwan Dua, you have made him a part of the University of Lethbridge forever,” say Dua’s daughters, Mini and Manjula. “We, the Dua family, are very grateful for this immense honour and we know that Dad would have been very humbled by your generosity. We hope that the future recipients of this scholarship go on to great success in their chosen fields, and continue to serve their communities as Dad did.”

For more on the Wine & Dine Arts & Science Scholarship Dinner, including photos, check out this story.