Student Life

Lang Scholar

The largest gift to a Canadian girls' school to create a new generation of female leaders.
The world needs more female leaders. The path to achieving this lies in showing girls what’s possible, and how they can attain leadership positions. This is a core belief of philanthropist Stu Lang, and the impetus behind the BSS Lang Scholars. This unique leadership program is made possible by a transformational $6.1 million gift from Stu.
 
This donation will serve as a catalyst for social change, as BSS girls enter the world and use their skills to break down barriers and unlock opportunities for women everywhere. And the hope is that this visionary gift will inspire others to support the development of even more female leaders.

    • Two students in uniform hold the Lang Scholar baton together in the Innovation hallway

-Dr. Angela Terpstra, Head of School

Teaching girls to be leaders has been central to the BSS mission from day one. With this incredibly generous donation, the ability to train the female leaders of tomorrow has been super-charged.
What kind of a girl is a Lang Scholar?
Lang Scholars are distinguished by their athletic and academic achievements and strong characters. Academic excellence is essential to the development of leaders who are decisive, critical thinkers, while athletics provide a great foundation for discipline and collaboration. According to a 2018 Ernst & Young study, 94 per cent of women who hold C-suite positions are former athletes.

Our Lang Scholars will benefit from incredible enrichment opportunities, including leadership training and inspiring guest speakers. They will join Lang Scholars and alumni from Upper Canada College for co-educational programming that allows them to learn and practice leadership. And upon graduation, they will pass the baton to future students, inspiring the next generation of Lang Scholars, while growing and thriving as leaders in their chosen fields.
    • A teacher observes a diverse group of Senior School students working together at a table
    • Stuart Lang
BSS is honoured to be chosen for this gift.
A philanthropic investment of this magnitude cements BSS as a trailblazer in girls’ education, and underscores our strong belief in the power of women as leaders. It is our hope that the Lang Scholar Program will attract a diverse group of applicants from across Canada, who will go on to make a positive impact on the world.
 
Program details, selection criteria and the application form have been made available to current BSS students. The first cohort of Lang Scholars will be announced in March 2025.

About Stu Lang

Stu Lang is a volunteer, philanthropist, businessman and athlete. He played in the CFL for the Edmonton Eskimos (now Elks), winning five Grey Cups in his eight-year career. He later coached the Guelph Gryphons in the CIAU, leading them to the Yates Cup in 2015. He is a board director of CCL industries, where he also serves as divisional president. He is one of Canada's leading educational philanthropists, having made extraordinary gifts to the University of Guelph, Queen's University, Upper Canada College and now, The Bishop Strachan School. His desire is to see better leadership in the world. The Lang Scholar Program is his solution to the lack of good leaders.

Pictured: Stu Lang his father, Gordon, with the Grey Cup.

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