Prince George students are among 663 Indigenous students who will share more than $2.3 million in awards to support their studies at post-secondary institutions throughout the province.
Eighteen Indigenous students in Prince George will receive funding through the Irving K. Barber BC Scholarship Society’s Indigenous Awards program, which is funded from the returns on an endowment fund established by the Province of British Columbia.
The awards are available for students who identify as Indigenous including First Nations (status or non-status), Metis or Inuit.
It was created to assist in removing barriers to higher education for Indigenous peoples. Awards of $1,000 to $5,000 each are issued every year through a competitive process to students studying at all post-secondary levels, from trades training to doctoral programs.
“Scholarships like this make a huge difference in the lives of Indigenous students,” said Anne Kang, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Training. “By breaking down barriers to accessing post-secondary education, these awards support Indigenous youth to gain the knowledge and skills they need to start their careers and contribute to B.C.’s economy.”
The Indigenous population in British Columbia is growing at more than triple the rate of the non-Indigenous population, with approximately 42.5 per cent of the Indigenous population under the age of 25.
“The Society is pleased to be able to remove some funding barriers to post-secondary education by providing awards that are both available at the beginning of a program and renewable for future years of study” commented Board Chair, Melvin Berg.
The Irving K Barber BC Scholarship Society provides scholarships and awards to students attending public post-secondary institutions throughout the province and internationally.
Since its inception, nearly $29 million has been distributed to B.C. students from its six scholarship and award programs. The Victoria Foundation provides administrative support to the Society.
The local recipients are as follows:
Undergraduate
- Alexa Jonuk - CNC
- Connor Lewis - UNBC
- Robert Lewis - UNBC
- Sarah McLaughlin - UNBC
- Jared Nome - UNBC
- Brady Thompson - UNBC
- Amanda Unger - UNBC
- Mark Connelly - UNBC
- Emma Scully - UNBC
- Gabrielle Astrope - UNBC
Teacher Education
- Hannah Trombley - UNBC
Post-Graduate
- Nicole Lodge – UNBC
- Taralynn Morgan – UNBC
- Cara Snell – UNBC
- Julian Stokes – UNBC
- Marion Erickson – UNBC
- Angela Carter – UNBC
- Sara Lynn Harding – UNBC
Applications for the 2022/23 Indigenous Awards program open in January 2022 where $1000-$5000 will be available for students pursuing trades training, apprenticeship, diploma, degree or post-secondary programs.
