First Nations students awarded grants

Six of the winners attend UBC’s Okanagan campus

Six First Nations students at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus have received grants from the Irving K. Barber British Columbia Scholarship Society.

Amanda Neufeld from Lumby, Larissa Laderoute from Sicamous, Meagan Carrier from West Kelowna, Rhea Hewitt from Savona, Starleigh Grass from Westbank and Taryn Schroeder from Vernon were among 117 B.C. Aboriginal students who will share $311,500 in grants.

The B.C. Aboriginal Student Award is funded from the returns on a $10 million endowment fund established by the province in 2007 as part of its strategy to improve Aboriginal achievement and access to education. Awards of $1,000 - $3,500 are given annually to Aboriginal students pursuing post-secondary education in B.C.

“Through the Irving K. Barber B.C. Scholarship Society, we are supporting Aboriginal learners to take post-secondary education and training so they’re ready to fill the jobs of tomorrow, which is an important part of the BC Jobs Plan,” says Naomi Yamamoto, Minister of Advanced Education.

The Irving K. Barber BC Scholarship Society works with the Victoria Foundation to provide scholarships to students attending public post-secondary institutions throughout the province and internationally. To date, the Society has awarded more than $3.8 million from its six scholarship programs.

“Our society board has adopted steps to ensure a stable level of awards each year regardless of market conditions,” says Hugh Gordon, society chair. “It’s part of our commitment to ensuring access to education for deserving students from throughout the province.”

For more information on the Victoria Foundation and the grants, go to http://www.victoriafoundation.bc.ca/web/.

For more information on the Irving K. Barber British Columbia Scholarship Society, go to http://www.bcscholarship.ca/web/.