Propelling business forward
John Abbass Sr. Memorial Scholarship
The John Abbass Sr. Memorial Scholarship Fund was established in the memory of John Abbass Sr. by Family Business Atlantic. This annual $3,000 Scholarship is awarded to children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews of Family Business Atlantic members, or family business owners in Nova Scotia and helps promote post-secondary business education pursuits. Applications are reviewed by the Scholarship Committee, with the award disbursed to the winning candidate’s post-secondary educational institution.
2023 Recipient: Ben Martens
This year we received many exceptional submissions for our John Abbass Sr. Memorial Scholarship. In applying for the scholarship, all candidates had to be pursuing their first post-secondary institution and have a solid academic record with at least an 80% grade point average. They had to have some experience, exposure or interest in becoming a part of their family’s business, or pursuing their own business interests. Additionally, our judges looked for leadership and service in their community or in their extracurricular activities.
FBA is pleased to announce that the winner of our 2023 John Abbass Sr. Memorial Scholarship is Ben Martens of Dartmouth, NS.
Ben will be graduating from Dartmouth High School this spring, where he has completed many Advanced and Advanced Placement classes, both with outstanding marks. He studied French immersion, and has been on the Principal’s list for every high school year. Not only is Ben skilled academically, he is incredibly passionate in athletics. He has worked at both the Brightwood Golf and Country Club and the Mic Mac Amateur Aquatic Rowing Club where he also volunteers his time teaching strength and conditioning to junior high and high school athletes.
Ben has a dazzling future ahead of him, having received offers of acceptance into both Brock University’s Business Administration program, as well as Queen University’s Commerce program. As the grandson of Stephen and Suzanne O’Regan, and great-grandson of O’Regan’s Automotive founder S.E. O’Regan, business runs literally throughout Ben’s veins.
Congratulations once again to Ben Martens! We know you will accomplish many wonderful things, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for this remarkable young man!
Applications are closed for 2023, check back for 2024
Applications open in January of each year – download a copy of the application form here
Application deadline: March 31, 5 pm ATL
Judges’ decision late April/early May
Note: Due to COVID-19, 1 PDF electronic application is preferred. However if some items (such as a transcript) are not available electronically, they may be dropped off at our office.
Eligibility:
- Candidates must be a resident of Nova Scotia (may be attending a post-secondary institution outside of Nova Scotia).
- Candidates must be in the process of taking their first post-secondary educational pursuit.
- Candidates’ degree should have a business focus or be related to their family business.
- Candidates must have achieved a grade point average of 80%.
- Candidates will preferably have a family business background, interest in becoming involved in their family business, or pursing their own business interests.
- Candidates must be applying for the first time – only one submission per applicant permitted.