“Education is not always an individual pursuit,” says Harvey Zhu, HBA ’26 candidate. “Very often, it's supported by a community.”
That spirit of collective support lies at the heart of the Business Leader Dinner HBA Bursary, which Zhu received in Fall 2024, as he started his HBA1 year.
Funded by members of the Canadian business community who gather annually at Ivey’s Business Leader Dinner, the bursary is a testament to how shared generosity can help shape the future of tomorrow’s leaders.
What is the Business Leader Dinner?
The Business Leader Dinner is a major Ivey fundraising event that honours distinguished Canadian businesspeople who have made impactful contributions to the advancement of business and have demonstrated leadership in both business and their communities.
Since its inception in 1991, the Business Leader Dinner has raised more than $8 million in net proceeds, which go toward supporting Ivey students. The dinner, which is held in Toronto, Ont. each year, is co-chaired this year by Dominique Fortier, MBA ’96, and Anthony Ostler, MBA ’97.
Each year, an esteemed honoree from the business community receives the Business Leader Award. This year’s Award winner is Katie Taylor, Chair of Altas Partners and Element Fleet Management, and former Chair of the Royal Bank of Canada. Past winners include Prime Minister Mark Carney, Jon Love, HBA ’76, LLD ’16, Jeff Orr, HBA ’81, and Linda Hasenfratz, EMBA ’97, LLD ’19.
About the Business Leader Dinner HBA Bursary
Since 2023, all proceeds from the Business Leader Dinner have supported the Business Leader Dinner HBA Bursary.
Valued at $100,000, the bursary supports 10 full-time HBA1 students (at $10,000 each) based on financial need, with preference given to a first-generation student.
“We are deeply grateful to the business community and the Business Leader Dinner Committee for their unwavering support over the years,” says Dean Julian Birkinshaw.
“The Business Leader Dinner HBA Bursary is a powerful demonstration of what happens when industry and education come together with purpose. And its impact extends beyond critical financial assistance; it’s a meaningful investment in talented students who will go on to shape the future of business and society.”
Gratitude to the Canadian business community
Christina Tran, HBA ’26 candidate, is one of the 10 inaugural recipients from last year, when the bursary
was first awarded. She completed her first three years at Western, in the Bachelor of Management and Organizational Studies program, with a focus in legal studies and political science.
When she found out last year that she’d received the bursary, the first thing she did was call her mom.
Tran is a first-generation university student, and soon-to-be graduate. Neither of her parents completed post-secondary education, which made this support and recognition all the more valuable. “When I think about my journey getting to Ivey, it hasn't been the smoothest ride,” she says. “This is an impactful sum of money that’s allowed me to breathe a sigh of relief.”
Tran aspires to work in strategic marketing and says the financial support from the bursary has given her the freedom to be more selective about what opportunities she can pursue in that sector.
She says the support feels even more impactful because it’s funded by the business community. “It's especially meaningful because these business leaders are the types of people that I hope to become just like one day.”
Carrying forward leadership values
Zhu also completed his first two years at Western, in Computer Science, before joining Ivey in the Fall of last year. 
Receiving the bursary has allowed him to focus more time on his extracurriculars, like taking on leadership roles in four Ivey clubs.
“It's given me the peace of mind and confidence to take on more responsibilities without the financial burden and stress I would have had otherwise,” he says.
Zhu also remarks on how special the origins of the bursary are. “To know there are so many accomplished business leaders and donors who took the time and effort to come together and support students like me is inspiring. It shows me that leadership isn't always just about personal success, but about giving back to others and creating opportunities for those who come after you.”
That kind of support, Zhu says, doesn’t just inspire — it creates a deep sense of responsibility to live up to the values behind it. “Their generosity sends a pretty powerful message that they trust us to carry their values of hard work, leadership, and giving back,” he says. “It motivates me to keep pushing forward and one day hopefully be in a position where I can do the same for someone else.”
Last year’s bursary recipients received invitations to this month’s Business Leader Dinner gala at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto, Ont., where Taylor will be honoured, on October 22. The 2025-26 bursary recipients will be announced later this month.
If you’re interested in joining us at this year’s Business Leader Dinner and helping support Ivey students, contact Joel Shields, Associate Director of Corporate Philanthropy, at jshields@ivey.ca.