Siblings Bob, Tim, John and Iris Bliss were all active students when they attended UNB’s Fredericton campus in the 1950s – they participated in student societies and sports teams, and excelled academically.
In the years since graduating, their ties to their alma mater have remained strong. From their support of athletics facilities and teams, to leadership with the Beaverbrook Scholars award committee, and service with UNB's Associated Alumni and Board of Governors.
It was Iris Bliss, however, who decided that it was time that the siblings did something as a family for UNB. With her encouragement, they each gave separately to one common initiative, creating a $300,000 scholarship endowment to help ensure that more students can come 'up the hill' to receive a life-changing education at UNB.
“We wanted the Bliss Family Scholarships to honour our parents, George and Gladys, because they instilled in us the value of education from a very young age,” she says. “We owe our careers to the education we received at UNB, but also to our parents, because they were the ones who helped ensure that post-secondary education was not beyond our reach. We hope these scholarships will do the same for today’s students.”
Three Bliss Family Scholarships will be awarded to students in the bachelor of science in engineering degree program, while the fourth will be awarded to a student who has completed a bachelor of kinesiology degree at UNB and is beginning the bachelor of education program.
This mirrors the Bliss family’s educational path – Bob (BScEng’52), a retired engineer with Westinghouse; Tim (BScEng’54), a retired vice-president of engineering with McCain Foods; John (BScEng’55), a retired city engineer for Fredericton; and Iris (BSc’57, BEd’59), a retired associate professor of physical education at the University of Toronto.
“It is important that we continue to invest in our students – making education accessible and recognizing success," says UNB President Eddy Campbell. "I am happy to say that the Bliss family also understands this critical need in our province.”
Student support is a significant part of UNB’s $110-million fundraising campaign, It Begins Here, which was launched in November. Fully one-half of the campaign goal – $55 million – will be dedicated to student financial support, funding scholarships, bursaries and programs to expand accessibility.
