Gregory John Barker Award

This award was established by the family and friends of Gregory John Barker, BFA Music 2008 With Distinction, in his memory.

Gregory John Barker was a wonderful son, brother, uncle, nephew, and friend to many. He embraced life fully with great cheerfulness, single-mindedness, resourcefulness, and rugged independence. He was never satisfied with the status quo but always moved forward to face new challenges and to seek new pathways. He stubbornly danced to his own drum, often ignoring traditional conventions. Fully bilingual, he was very sociable and engaged readily with people.

From as early an age as 16, when he played the piano for the elderly on a geriatric floor at a local hospital, Gregory demonstrated a keen interest and commitment to helping others as a volunteer particularly when it facilitated healing and community-building. Later he went on to work as an English tutor to physically challenged adults (Neil Squire Foundation). While a music student at Concordia University, he regularly entertained a group of blind elderly residents in a seniors'home. Before he passed away, Gregory had undertaken teaching English as a second language to immigrants on a weekly basis.

Gregory was a man apart from the regular conventions of everyday life and society's norms. "Un boheme" by nature, he embraced life fully - befriending many from different language and cultural backgrounds and faith traditions. Above all, Gregory had huge creative talent and a deep sense of family and community.

The Gregory John Barker Award is intended to encourage and recognise students who are enrolled in the Department of Music and who are active in the community. Candidates will demonstrate a love of music and a dedication to community through volunteer work.

In-course bursaries Concordia offers need-based In-Course Bursaries to returning Bachelor's students in the Fall semester.

Application deadline The 2024-2025 Undergraduate In-Course Bursary Program will be open April 1, 2024.

In-Course Bursaries are awarded by the Financial Aid and Awards Office to previously admitted students following an application-based competition that includes a financial need test and holistic committee review. Applicants are notified of the results after the Financial Aid and Awards Office receives results from the bursary committee.

The In-Course Bursary program normally open April 1, 2024 and will close on May 15, 2024.