• Smith School of Business

The Lisa Saunders Bursary for Commerce Students

Donor Story:

Lisa is a graduate of Northern Secondary School in Sturgeon Falls, Ontario.  She still goes home to the same house she lived in during high school. After her BComm in 1986 from Queen’s, she joined the ranks of CA Students at Thorne Riddell. Lisa remains in public practice today, being a practice partner and owner since 1995. She is currently Managing Partner at Elements LLP, a small CPA Firm in downtown Toronto, advising and coaching privately held business owners to succeed in their goals.

Lisa, and her husband Rob, live in Etobicoke and have enjoyed cottaging at their home in Muskoka since 1991.

I have a personal commitment to learning and I am now living the benefits of the foundations that Queen’s has provided me. Let’s talk about the role luck plays every day in our life: you are reading right now about “making your own luck”. I want to see the financial barriers of higher learning eliminated.

You have worked hard for opportunities; in this way, you have made your own luck.

This bursary is to help you get there. I hope you look back on this gift as one of the little things that helped you achieve your goals in life. How you use this gift is up to you...I challenge you to always do your best in all you do. Congratulations and thank you for allowing me to make a difference. You are helping me achieve my goals.

Lastly, remember someday to pay it forward, to help others in some way “make their luck”.

~Lisa Saunders

Fund Description:

Established in March 2014 and revised in November 2018 by Lisa Saunders (Faulkner), BCom'86. Awarded on the basis of demonstrated financial need to students entering first year of the Bachelor of Commerce program in the Smith School of Business. Preference will be given to students in the following order of priority: (a) students from Northern Ontario, (b) students from the rest of the province of Ontario, and (c) students from any other region of Canada. The award is renewable for three subsequent years provided a satisfactory academic average is maintained each year and financial need remains evident.