News
FFF grants MUN MCE awards to increase participation of women/non-binary students [March 2023]
All teams in the 2023 Mel Woodward Cup showed remarkable innovation and vision and the judges had a tough decision. The 2023 winners were Notch Embedded - Champion and winner of $25,000 and SmartBin - Runner-up and winner of $15,000 Winners of the Fry Family Foundation awards were Med SimuLabs - awarded the Entrepreneurship Award for Women and Non-Binary Leadership and winner of $2,500; and CodeDoc Hub - awarded the Entrepreneurship Award for an Early-stage Idea and winner of $2,500. Read more in this Gazette story: Startup Support.
Recipient of a FFF Community Centre Alliance Scholarship has overcome many hurdles [January 2023]
This is an inspiring article about Jamila Nahhat and her journey to study at the Faculty of Nursing, Memorial University. The Foundation is proud of Jamila as a 2022-23 recipient of a renewable FFF Community Centre Alliance Post-Secondary Entrance Scholarship. We are thankful for the supportive staff at the Community Centres that work so tirelessly to advocate for students and to help them achieve their dreams. Based on the many hurdles that Jamila has already overcome, we are confident that she will persevere and be successful with her studies! Read more in She didn't know English 6 years ago. Now this Syrian woman is a scholarship winner and studying nursing at MUN
FFF Partner Kim White advocates for making the outdoors more accessible [January 2023]
An interesting article about the work being done by Kim White and Dr. TA Loeffler on outdoor inclusion. Kim continues to be a community leader inside and outside of the Froude Avenue Community Centre and the Community Centre Alliance. It’s wonderful to see the availability of the grit freedom chair at places like Memorial University Botanical Garden. Great leadership in inclusion by Memorial University of Newfoundland's School of Human Kinetics and Recreation. Read more in Making N.L.'s outdoors more accessible one trail at a time.
FFF MI Leadership Award recipient in search of colossal squid [November 2022]
We’re very excited for Eugenie Jacobsen, 2021-22 recipient of the Fry Family Foundation Graduate Leadership Award at Marine Institute. This is an interesting article on the voyage to film the Colossal Squid. We wish Eugenie and the entire team all the best in their epic quest to Antarctica! You never know where a Master of Science in Fisheries Science and Technology from Marine Institute will lead you! Read more in Team from N.L travelling to Antarctica in search of the elusive colossal squid.
Recipient of the FFF Entrepreneurship Award for Women named Best University Startup in the World [November 2022]
Congratulations to PragmaClin Research Inc. on being named the overall winner for early-stage startups at the global finals of the University Startup World Cup 2022. Startup companies were pitching and competing against hundreds of startups from more than 50 different countries world wide. In March of 2022, PragmaClin Research were awarded the FFF Entrepreneurship Award for Women and Non-binary Leadership and the top prize in the Memorial Centre for Entrepreneurship's Mel Woodward Cup Competition. Co-founders Bronwyn Bridges and Gord Genge developed and designed a remote patient monitoring system for Parkinson’s disease. Read more about this Memorial University of Newfoundland startup company in Meet the World's Best University Startups 2022.
FFF recognized in the NL House of Assembly [October 2022]
Lloyd Parrott, MHA for the District of Terra Nova, spoke in the NL House of Assembly to recognize the Fry Family Foundation and it founders Darryl and Marlene Fry on their 25 years of Community Service in and around our Province and beyond. He commended the family for their generosity over the last 25 years and thanked them for their continued support of Glovertown. Listen to Lloyd Parrott's address. The Foundation is humbled and honoured by this recognition.
FFF CNA Business Leadership Award recipient working to make the workforce more inclusive [September 2022]
Allison Seward is a graduate of the Community Leadership Development Program at College of the North Atlantic's Carbonear Campus. Read more about Allison, this year’s FFF College of the North Atlantic President’s Excellence in Leadership Achievement Award recipient in Grad awarded for leading the way. This prestigious award recognizes the CNA student who has best demonstrated high academic achievement, coupled with exceptional leadership ability and a strong commitment to the province through volunteerism.
FFF Partner Community Centre Alliance recognized for it's work in the Community [September 2022]
Read more about FFF Scholarship recipient Baraa Alkalif and the transformative work being done by the dedicated team at MacMorran Community Centre in Meet the People who make this St. John's Community Centre a hub for education, health, leisure and more. This dedication to community is also evident in the Community Centres at Froude Avenue, Virginia Park, Buckmaster's Circle and Rabbittown.
FFF Undergraduate Leadership Award recipient receives MUN Horizon Award[August 2022]
The Alumni Tribute Awards recognize Memorial University alumni who have achieved distinction in their chosen fields, are committed to their alma mater and have made outstanding contributions to their communities. The awards are the highest honour bestowed by Memorial to exceptional alumni. Zaren Healey White is the 2022 Horizon Award recipient. Zaren is also an FFF Alumni as recipient of the 2010 MUNChancellor's Undergraduate Award and Fry Family Foundation Leadership Award. Zaren is a respected communications and media expert, a writer, artist, activist and strategic communications professional. Read more in Female First.
FFF MI Leadership Award recipient has the wind at his back [July 2022]
A behind-the-scenes look at the annual Nautical Skills Competition at the Marine Institute more than four years ago set Nathan Mullins on course to working at sea. Congratulations to Nathan as he graduates with a Diploma of Technology in Nautical Science, and is already working on a Bachelor of Maritime Studies in Maritime Management. Nathan is the recipient of the prestigious 2021-22 Vice President’s FFF Excellence in Leadership Award at Marine Institute. Read more in Wind at his back.
MUN Genesis program behind the Women & Immigrants who are poised to lead NL Tech Industry [June 2022]
In 2021, FFF made a 5-year commitment to MUN Genesis to support the development and delivery of a Leadership Program for NL Women and Immigrant Entrepreneurs that would result in improved outcomes and reduced barriers. Laura Aguirre Polo, Success Manager of Belonging at Genesis, says that they have implemented initiatives and established new partnerships with community organizations in order to build an unbreakable support network for entrepreneurs. Read more in Women and immigrants poised to lead Newfoundland and Labrador’s tech industry.
FFF MI Leadership Award recipient sees the art in science [June 2022]
2021-22 FFF Leadership Award recipient Janine O'Reilly made a "complete career switch" three years ago from fine arts to marine environmental technology. She discovered an interdisciplinary program at Marine Institute and a growing environmental sector in which she hopes to make a difference. The Marine Environmental Technology program focuses on the protection and management of marine environments, rivers, lakes and coastal areas. Read more about Janine in The art of science.
MUN celebrates 25 years of student support by the Fry Family Foundation [June 2022]
What if writing a letter could lead to a life-changing impact on the lives of more than 1000 Memorial students and future leaders? Would you write that letter? The Fry Family Foundation went from funding five entrance scholarships at Memorial University in 1996 to giving more than $5 million to NL causes, with the biggest portion going to the education of more than 1,000 students. Read about Darryl and Marlene Fry in Givers of the World.
Two-time recipient of the FFF Graduate Leadership Award earns prestigious position[June 2022]
Memorial University Engineering graduate Dr. Kshama Roy (M.Eng.’12, PhD’17) is the only student to have been awarded the prestigious Chancellor's Graduate Award and Fry Family Foundation Graduate Leadership Award in 2012 and 2017. Read how this engineering alumnus has gone on to earn a prestigious position at a world-renowned organization in Beyond his wildest dreams.
Inaugural recipient of the FFF Dean's Leadership Award in Engineering is heading to law school [June 2022]
Erin Maher is a MUN Class of 2022 graduate of the Ocean and Naval Architectural Engineering program and the inaugural recipient of the FFF Dean’s Leadership Award in Engineering. An active member of the local and national engineering student community throughout her studies, she has held roles such as the Vice President Academic on MUN Engineering Student Society and the Atlantic Representative on the Canadian Federation of Engineering Students Advocacy Working Group. Erin was also co-chair of the Canadian Engineering Leadership Conference, held in St. John's. She hopes to utilize the advocacy and leadership skills developed throughout her first degree and plans to pursue a legal education in the fall. Read more about Erin in Next Chapter.
Together-by-Design alumnus among the first graduates of Master of Applied Ocean Mapping at Marine Institute [May, 2022]
Congratulations to Mona Earle on graduating with her Master of Applied Ocean Technology (Ocean Mapping) and for being among the first graduates of the new master’s program offered by the Marine Institute’s School of Ocean Technology. Mona is also an alumnus of Together by Design (TBD), a not-for-profit co-founded by Darlene Spracklin-Reid and John Oates. After Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005, FFF supported rebuilding efforts by NL-based TBD for several years. This partnership involved engineering students and skilled trade apprentices traveling to participate in rebuilding efforts in New Orleans. Read more about Mona in Ocean of Opportunities.
FFF CNA Business Leadership Award recipient working to make the workforce more inclusive [May 2022]
Linda Brown is a 2019-20 FFF Business Leadership Achievement Award recipient at College of the North Atlantic. Linda is a graduate of the Business Administration, Human Resource Management program through Distributed Learning. Read about how Linda feels that her work "supports both employers and jobseekers in enhancing inclusion and diversity in the workforce for people with disabilities" in CNA Grad creates inclusive opportunities.
FFF expands CNA pilot program within not-for-profit sector [April 2022]
After a successful pilot of the Fry Family Foundation's support of CNA’s Community Leadership Development (CLD) program, support is expanding to include Community Recreation Leadership (CRL) program students. This year, 50 students from both programs will receive a $1,000 stipend for their hard work and dedication to the not-for-profit sector. The Foundation sees this as a great opportunity to empower students to affect change and positively influence communities. Our intent is to commit to a four-year program which will award 50 stipends annually. Read more in Pilot Project Expands within not-for-profit sector.
FFF Ralph Vincent Memorial Business Scholarship recipient balances curling and business [April 2022]
Nathan Young is the recipient of the 2021-22 FFF Ralph Vincent Memorial Business Scholarship and is currently a second-year student in the Faculty of Business at Memorial University, pursuing a joint degree of Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Arts (Economics). Nathan is also an avid curler, having skipped Team NL at the 2022 Tim Horton’s Brier and having led Team Canada as Skip at the 2020 Youth Olympic Games in Switzerland, where he captured a Gold Medal in the mixed doubles competition. Nathan offered some personal secrets to finding balance and achieving success in The business of balance.
FFF participates in groundbreaking of 'Brad's Place' at The Haven [April 2022]
The Haven held a groundbreaking ceremony for two additional homes on April 7, 2022. ‘Brad's Place’ is dedicated to Jones’ vision and will be house aging residents with Alzheimer's or dementia. Co-founders Darryl and Marlene Fry, as well as Trustees Gerry and Judy Repple were able to participate in the ground breaking ceremony. The Haven is also partnering with Florida State University medical students and doctors to run a dementia care program, which will allow residents to age in place..Watch the Fox13 News clip about the expansion in "I know she's safe": Sarasota's The Haven expands, increases residential services.
Recipient of the FFF Entrepreneurship Award for Women develops software for Parkinson's testing and treatment [March 2022]
PragmaClin Research was recently awarded the FFF Entrepreneurship Award for Women and Non-binary Leadership and the top prize in the Memorial Centre for Entrepreneurship's Mel Woodward Cup Competition. Co-founders Bronwyn Bridges and Gord Genge have developed and designed a remote patient monitoring system for Parkinson’s disease. They hope to eventually expand and create similar software for other neurological disorders. Watch a video explaining how this Startup could help Parkinson's patients in Winning N.L. startup develops software for {Parkinson's testing and treatment.
FFF grants inaugural MUN MCE awards to increase participation of women/non-binary students [March 2022]
PragmaClin Research, co-founded by pharmacy PhD student Bronwyn Bridges, was awarded the FFF Entrepreneurship Award for Women and Non-binary Leadership. PragmaClim also won the top prize in the Mel Woodward Cup Competition for a software that provides motor and non-motor assessments for people with Parkinson’s disease. Entrepreneur and Parkinson’s patient Gord Genge is the company’s co-founder. Watch a video about PragmaClin. Cannaby received the FFF Entrepreneurship Award for an Early-stage Idea. Cannaby was founded by master of science student Laura Mateo and partner Saioa Arrizabalaga, and aims to educate users on safe cannabis consumption through a customizable dosage calculator. Forty-three teams applied to the competition this year, the highest number of applicants to date! Read more in Startup Support.
A warm welcome to our new Fry Family Foundation Trustees [March 2022]
We’re delighted to announce the appointment of two new Trustees to our Fry Family Foundation Board – Diana and Jim Cronin. These appointments come at a significant time as the Foundation celebrates 25 years of providing support to our community and education partners. We're thankful to all our Trustees and Friends who generously volunteer their time to help us build stronger communities. Read more about Jim & Diana Cronin.
FFF funds MCE Solvers Program for NL Student Entrepreneurs [March 2022]
The Memorial Centre for Entrepreneurship (MCE) is piloting a new program called Solvers to connect industry professionals with entrepreneurial students to find technological solutions to real-world business problems. The project to help develop NL's next high-growth startup is supported by a donation from the Fry Family Foundation. Read more in The Next Verafin?
FFF funds Leadership Program for NL Women and Immigrant Entrepreneurs [January 2022]
Commencing in 2021, the Fry Family Foundation made a 5-year commitment to MUN Genesis to support the development and delivery of a Leadership Program for NL Women and Immigrant Entrepreneurs that will result in improved outcomes and reduced barriers. As recently as 2015, exactly none of the ventures at St. John’s-based Genesis startup hub were led by women. Today, nearly a third of them are..Read more in Inside Genesis' Diversity Push - The St. John's startup hub has seen a sharp uptick in the number of women entrepreneurs it serves.