On March 26, Eric Wickham’s wife and kids celebrated what would have been his 84th birthday in a uniquely meaningful way: meeting the very first recipient of the new scholarship they had created in his honour after he passed away last November.
As the Wickham family watched Marwa Malik cross the stage at Centennial College’s annual Student Awards Night to receive the Eric R. Wickham Memorial Scholarship, they knew they had found the perfect way to keep his legacy alive.
“It was emotional to see his name in writing associated with a scholarship. I know he’s worthy of that,” says his son Olembe.
That night, Eric’s wife, Emily, his children Aisha and Olembe, and his eldest grandchild, Jabari, met Marwa — a Business School student studying office administration, with a focus on health services — and had a chance to learn about the impact the scholarship would have on her life and education.
“It was very exciting to see the scholarship come to fruition in the form of the first recipient,” says Aisha. “To hear her deep and authentic appreciation was very meaningful.”
A way to honour Eric Wickham’s life and passions
For the Wickhams, the scholarship they’ve created is a powerful tribute to a man who was not only passionate about education, but a long-time former faculty member of Centennial College.
“We knew it was something he would love because he was so connected and committed to Centennial,” says Aisha.
Born in Barbados in 1940, Eric Wickham immigrated to Canada in 1966. After earning a diploma from Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University) in business administration, he established a successful career in the banking sector and earned his Certified General Accountant (CGA/CPA) designation before joining the faculty of Centennial College in 1979.
There, he spent the next 25 years teaching in the Business School, passing on his love of education and finance to new generations.
“His expectations of students were very high, and he got a lot of satisfaction out of seeing an underperforming student do well by the end of his courses,” says Olembe.
Proud of his African ancestry and committed to uplifting Black communities, Eric spent years learning about African history and sharing that passion with Black children as a volunteer instructor with the African-Canadian Heritage Association Program.
Wanting to help even more young people learn about African heritage, in 2001 he approached Centennial about creating a new course dedicated to the topic.
“He submitted a proposal for the course — Ancient Africa: Glorious Legacies — and it was approved as a general education course,” says Aisha. “He developed the syllabus and course materials and taught it for ten semesters until his retirement.”
All of Eric’s interests — education, business and celebrating diverse Black histories — are represented in the criteria for the Eric R. Wickham Memorial Scholarship, which is awarded annually to a Black student in the Business School who has demonstrated service to Black communities.
“Reciprocity was one of his favourite words,” says Olembe. “He always said that life is a cycle of giving and receiving — giving to others and receiving in return.”
A ripple effect of generosity and impact
Since establishing their scholarship, the Wickham family has found immense meaning and comfort in the opportunity to help remove barriers to education in Eric’s name. They’ve also been amazed at the number of people who say they’ve been inspired to consider creating scholarships of their own.
“So many friends and family members have said to me that they would like to start something similar or contribute to what we’ve already started,” says Aisha. “A lot of people might think establishing a scholarship is a daunting or inaccessible process, but Centennial makes it incredibly easy and it’s much more manageable financially than many may realize.”
The Wickhams hope to continue building their scholarship over the years, and look forward to hearing about recipients’ successes as they complete their education and establish careers of their own.
“We imagine a community of alumni making an impact in the business world and giving back to the Black community, just like Dad did,” says Olembe.
If you are interested in learning more about establishing a scholarship at Centennial College, please contact Linda Barlow at LBarlow@centennialcollege.ca or 416-289-5000 ext. 8849.