Applying to an MBA program is no simple feat, but applying as an international student can be even more nerve-wracking.
Coming from Nairobi, Kenya, Baricha Ali Abdi, Ivey MBA ’26 candidate, knows this firsthand. “Once you're done applying, you're sitting on the edge of a pin,” he says. “Will I get accepted? And if I do get accepted, there are two new barriers: Will I get a visa? And will I be able to get the financial resources to pay for the MBA?”
After enduring that uncertainty and anxiety, he received a call telling him he was admitted to Ivey’s MBA program — and that he was a recipient of the William Fuller MBA Award, worth $32,000. In that moment, everything changed.
“Once you hear that,” he says, “it's like you're breathing for the first time.”
About the William Fuller MBA Award
The William Fuller MBA Award is an admissions award given to a full-time student entering Ivey’s MBA program who has demonstrated prior community involvement with a commitment to continued community service. Each year, three students receive the award.
William (Bill) Fuller, MBA ’61, first established the award in 2001. Several years later, a meeting with Carol Stephenson, who was dean of Ivey at the time, provided the impetus to increase the available funds and value of the award through a planned gift. “One of the main driving forces was Carol’s gracious, kind, and intelligent ability to state the needs of the School,” says Fuller’s widow, Sheila Madill. “It was a convergence of time, place, and people,” she says, “and it worked out wonderfully.” The award was a planned gift left to Ivey in Fuller’s will.
Fuller and Madill, both Montreal natives, had settled in Victoria, B.C., but were committed to supporting business education in the eastern part of Canada. “Ivey was an incredible cornerstone for Bill,” says Madill. “The education he received became the foundation for what he would do for the rest of his life.”
Fuller worked in wealth management as the Vice President of Jones Heward Investments, giving to many different causes that were close to his heart, including conservation, health care, and the arts.
A lasting legacy
“Having a scholarship as his legacy was important to Bill,” says Madill, “as a way to support upcoming students who would hopefully go on to be leaders in Canadian society.”
In addition to Ali Abdi, the current recipients of the William Fuller MBA Award are Jennifer Estrada and Erin Yeung, also MBA ’26 candidates. Read their heartfelt reflections below:
The fact that someone decides to give part of their estate to create an award to support students they will never meet just tells you how generous and impactful some people's actions can be. Receiving this award was a really life-changing moment. It made me feel relieved that everything I had done up to that point really meant something. Now I get a chance to transform my life.
— Baricha Ali Abdi, MBA ’26 candidate
When I got the news, I felt incredibly lucky and humbled. This award is truly life-changing. Being able to come to Canada from Mexico represents a new life for me. This award has allowed me to focus on my studies and release that financial pressure. I feel terribly humbled to be a part of the donor’s legacy, and I want to honour this award by studying harder and supporting my community. This award has made me realize that we don’t come to Ivey by ourselves. And the more you help others, the more they will help others.
— Jennifer Estrada, MBA ’26 candidate
When you’ve been working for a couple years, it’s hard to think about taking a year off, moving, and not earning an income in order to complete an MBA. Receiving this scholarship is a huge financial burden lifted. And a gift of this nature is just incredible. It's a huge honour to be part of someone’s legacy and it’s made me realize that I have to move with intention because I’m an extension of that legacy now.
— Erin Yeung, MBA ’26 candidate
Impact of planned giving
Planned giving is a process in which a donor arranges for a gift to be allocated after their lifetime. This can be achieved in a number of different ways, whether as a gift of life insurance, retirement assets, charitable annuities, or a gift in a will.
One of the advantages of planned giving is that it allows you to donate to the cause of your choice will still achieving your financial goals. This means donors can provide more support than might be possible during their lifetime, and receive valuable tax credits that will benefit their estate. Apart from the practical benefits, planned giving is an excellent way for donors to ensure that their legacy carries on through the lives of others in a meaningful way.
Whether it’s through planned giving or another form of philanthropy, supporting future leaders is more important than ever, says Madill, as rising geopolitical tensions require individuals who can lead with confidence on the international stage.
“This is a pivotal point in Canada’s future,” she says. “We need young people who are focused on what it truly means to be Canadian, and we need to inculcate those values in students who are destined to become our future leaders.”
A meaningful step is removing financial barriers to the kind of quality education that will give them the tools to engage thoughtfully with these global challenges.
“If you're fortunate and wise enough to be educated, and you’re in the position to help, it's important to support the institution which fostered your growth,” says Madill. “That's what life is all about.”
If you’re interested in learning more about how planned giving aligns with your philanthropic goals, please contact Meghan Wilhelm, Manager of Annual Giving, at mwilhelm@ivey.ca.