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. In 2025, a second $1,500 scholarship was established to provide financial assistance to students in need. Applications are reviewed by the Scholarship Committee, with the award disbursed to the winning candidate’s post-secondary educational institution.
Interested in supporting? Donate to our Scholarship Fund Here!
2025 Scholarship Recipients:
Jalal Sayegh and Kateryna Burakova
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 the winner of this year’s annual $3,000 scholarship is Jalal Sayegh, as well as our the winner of our newly established $1,500 scholarship, Kateyrna Burakova, both who hail from Truro, Nova Scotia!
Jalal Sayegh – is an International Baccalaureate student and a recent graduate from Copequid Educational Centre in Truro, Nova Scotia. With a multicultural background rooted in Lebanese heritage, Jalal brings a global mindset and strong interpersonal sensitivity to every pursuit.
As Student Council President, he successfully led numerous school-wide initiatives and community events, including co-founding the Rally Against Racism campaign. His leadership has earned him the Lieutenant Governor’s Education Medal of Nova Scotia, a recognition reserved for students who exemplify outstanding character, service, and academic achievement. His academic record includes selection to the prestigious Harvard Summer School program, where he was one of only 24 students chosen globally (from over 2,300 applicants) to study relativity and advanced physics.
Jalal is a mentor to his peers, a champion for equity, and a dynamic thinker who blends analytical rigor with empathy. His future goals center on engineering sustainable, human-centered technologies while continuing to lead with purpose and principle.
Kateryna Burakova – is a recent graduate from Copequid Educational Centre in Truro, Nova Scotia. Originally from Ukraine, Kateryna moved to Canada with her family to pursue new opportunities and a brighter future. Entrepreneurial spirit runs in her blood, as her parents owned and operated multiple retail stores in Ukraine and Nova Scotia, with Kateryna running their online content including the stores websites and social media platforms.
This fall, Kateryna will be attending Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia to study Commerce, aiming to extend her knowledge in marketing, finances and business management. Alongside her passion for business and entrepreneurship, Kateryna is a lover of the arts, and has a long-term goal to one day own and manage her own company. Kateryna noted that she is very grateful for the support she has received from her family and the John Abbass Sr. Memorial Scholarship committee, and is excited for the journey ahead.
Congratulations to our scholarship winners! With your combined extensive knowledge and rich experiences in family business, we are confident that you both will continue to achieve success in all of your future endeavours!
Applications for our 2026 scholarships are now closed. Thank you to all who submitted. Recipients will be announced in early to mid May.
Please carefully read through the application form below and send the form alongside all additional documents compiled into ONE PDF file to: info@familybusinessatlantic.ca
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: 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 who have been successful recipients of the scholarship may not reapply.