Lambda Scholarship Foundation Canada Announces New 2SLGBTQ+ Refugee Bursary
At Lambda Scholarship Foundation Canada, every bursary we establish is rooted in a story, one of perseverance, community, and the belief that education can transform a life.
This week, we are proud to announce the Vu-Gruber & Lambda Scholarship Foundation Canada 2SLGBTQIA+ Refugee Bursary, a new perpetual award created through the generous endowment of donors Tuan Vu and Gil Gruber. [Download the press release.]
Tuan and Gil didn’t arrive at this decision through external influences; they did so based on their lived experiences — as refugees, as immigrants, as members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community — and from a deep understanding of what it means to start over in a new country with your credentials unrecognized and your future uncertain. Their gift is, in many ways, a letter to the people who are walking that same road today.
We invited Tuan to share that story in his own words. We think you’ll understand, once you’ve read it, exactly why this bursary means what it does.
Journeys of Courage, Learning, and Belonging
Written by Tuan Vu
It was 1975, after the fall of Saigon. Over one million Vietnamese refugees fled by sea. Today, we refer to them as the “Boat People”.
When my parents first arrived in Montreal, the transition was anything but easy. In Vietnam, they had been highly-respected lawyers—immersed in their profession, surrounded by books, intellectual debate, and driven by a strong sense of justice. In Canada, however, none of that expertise was recognized. Their degrees, their years of experience, and professional identities vanished overnight.
In those early years, survival took precedence over dreams. My father worked as a parking attendant, a security guard, and a grocer. My mother found work as a cook in busy restaurant kitchens and as a seamstress in clothing factories. These were lifelines. However, the work was unstable, the pay was modest, and the uncertainty was constant. With three teenage children at home, they often worried about whether their next paycheck would cover food and rent. There was no safety net, no benefits if they fell ill, and little room to plan for a future that always seemed just out of reach.
Yet even in those difficult times, my mother never lost sight of the power of education. She believed that to reclaim their sense of purpose, they needed to return to academia to rebuild their professional lives on Canadian soil. With determination and courage, both my parents borrowed, saved, and sacrificed to re-enter university. They chose to study legal translation—a field that bridged their past expertise with their new reality.
Those years of study were challenging, but they were also filled with hope. I still remember hearing them debate late into the night about the best way to translate certain expressions. Their voices carried not exhaustion, but passion. It was as if, through repossessing their intellectual pursuits, they had rediscovered themselves. Five years after arriving in Montreal, they graduated. With their new credentials, their financial hardship began to ease, and a more stable, fulfilling future finally took shape.
Their story is not unique—it is one of many that weave together the fabric of Canada’s narrative of resilience and renewal. My partner, Gil, also experienced a similar journey. As an immigrant to Canada and the grandson of two refugee families who narrowly escaped Nazi Germany, he encountered barriers despite being a recognized expert in international business growth. Upon arriving in Quebec, he struggled to find a position that matched his experience and expertise.
Rather than allowing those challenges to define him, he chose to see them as a turning point. Reflecting on the difficulties his grandparents faced in establishing themselves in a new country, he understood the value of resilience, entrepreneurship, and education as pathways to a better future.
Through perseverance—and with his MBA in hand, he founded his own marketing consulting firm, transforming challenges into opportunities, and adversity into achievements. Over the next twenty years, he went on to lead seminars at the McGill Executive Institute, serve on advisory boards, and support hundreds of Canadian companies and organizations achieve sustainable growth.
His journey is a powerful reminder that talent and determination can flourish when given the chance—and that the contributions of newcomers and immigrants continue to strengthen our businesses, our communities, and our shared future as a country.
However, it’s important to recognize that not all journeys begin from the same starting point. 2SLGBTQIA+ refugees often face even greater barriers. They arrive not only as newcomers but as individuals seeking safety from discrimination, persecution, and violence tied to their identities. For many, resettlement means rebuilding from a place of deep vulnerability—often without family support or established community networks. Accessing housing, employment, and education can be especially challenging while also navigating acceptance and personal safety in a new cultural environment.
Research from Statistics Canada shows that settlement success for refugee claimants is often time-dependent, with lower employment and higher reliance on social assistance in the early years. Yet with time, education, and community support, the trajectory changes. Stability begins to take root, and potential can truly blossom.
In a country that values inclusion and equality, it is essential to recognize that those who face compounded barriers deserve equitable opportunities to pursue education and build stable lives. It is a reaffirmation that belonging in Canada must extend to everyone—regardless of who they are or whom they love.
These stories—woven together by courage and learning—are what this new bursary seeks to celebrate. It honors refugees and newcomers who have been forced to leave their home countries and start anew, often from nothing, holding onto hope that Canada can become a true haven for them and their families.
With this purpose in mind, we have established a perpetual bursary: the Vu-Gruber & Lambda Scholarship Foundation Canada 2SLGBTQ+ Refugee Bursary. This bursary will be awarded annually to provide financial support for tuition and educational expenses to a newcomer refugee student enrolled in a Canadian post-secondary institution or pursuing a recognized career training or certification program in Canada.
Rainbow Railroad Canada will be responsible for identifying and recommending eligible candidates. Lambda Scholarship Foundation Canada will oversee the funds contributed by the donors and administer annual disbursement of the award. Both organizations are committed to promoting the bursary.
This bursary is more than financial support—it is a symbol of belief. It opens doors for those who, like my parents, my partner, his family, and countless others, face the daunting task of rebuilding their lives in a new land. It represents a commitment to the idea that, through learning and courage, every 2SLGBTQIA+ refugee can move beyond survival toward new opportunities, dignity, and belonging.
