Bev Boyden Heart for Justice Scholarship
About Bev
Bev was actively involved with the AAPP for many years as a member and a director on the Board, constantly rising to the challenges and taking to task the recognition of the legal support profession by degrees of education, knowledge and experience. Bev was an advocate for access to justice and shared her experiences in several writings to bring awareness to the fundamental importance of the roles that paralegals and legal support professionals provide to the practice of law.
Bev started her legal career after graduating from Red Deer College (now Red Deer Polytechnic) in 1979, from the Law Clerk Program. Bev was a dedicated legal support professional for many years, having retired her long-term career as a paralegal at Walsh LLP. Bev was a loyal and strong supporter of the firm, its people, ethics and professionalism which she showcased with pride.
Driven by her desire to leave the world better than she found it, Bev would seek out opportunities to support those around her and in her community. Her empathy knew no bounds; she was passionate about supporting women in need, funding affordable housing, and making law and justice accessible to all. Bev would put in extra effort to make sure that women in need had the things that they wouldn’t have otherwise.
Bev’s philanthropy efforts extended to affordable housing when her daughter was assigned a “Pay it Forward” school project to plan and carry out an idea that would make a difference to the environment or community. Having been close to a single parent family that had experienced homelessness, Bev and her daughter were inspired to make a difference by addressing the lack of affordable housing in Calgary. As a single parent herself, Bev knew the challenges that separated families could face and she was determined to create something that would have a lasting impact. Using her paralegal knowledge and organizational abilities, Bev set up the Heartprints – KIDS for a Cause Foundation, incorporated in March of 2008.
Bev believed that law should be accessible to everyone and her passion for access to justice makes it possible for those with limited legal knowledge to have access to the information and resources they need to work through the process of a case or claim.
Objective
To promote helpful acts of kindness in one’s community by awarding and recognizing the value of one’s contribution while pursuing a career as a legal professional (legal assistant or paralegal).
Goal
As the AAPP continues to grow, the Board of Directors and members want to ensure that Bev’s legacy in the legal industry and within the community continues to be recognized.
Eligibility Requirements
- This bursary is open to anyone currently working in the legal industry and/or enrolled in a legal assistant or paralegal program.
- Applicants cannot be an immediate family member of any current sitting board member of the AAPP.
Selection Criteria
This award recognizes members of the legal industry who “shine their light” by contributing to their communities through voluntary endeavours to promote access to justice, poverty reduction and/or family support.
Ways this can be achieved is by volunteering in a community clean up project, assistance at a shelter for vulnerable persons, programs at schools, school extracurricular activities, or general acts of kindness.
To apply for the Bev Boyden Heart for Justice Bursary, please submit the following:
- A one-page written summary of your experience
- A series of photos (3-5) with 1-2 sentence descriptions for each photo
- A reference letter from a team member in support
Please choose one or more of the following topics:
- Describe a time when you went above and beyond to Pay it Forward to improve your community through volunteer work or any other means of philanthropy, OR
- Explain your understanding of access to justice and ways in which you have, or imagine you will, improve access to justice in your career.
Submission Deadline: March/April 30 each year
Please direct your questions, applications, or if you or someone you know wishes to donate to this bursary, to our Scholarship Director by email at scholarship@alberta-paralegal.com