Brettany Makuch is a 28 year old Metis student with her sights set on becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner.
She’s moved closer to achieving that goal courtesy of a $5,000 Aboriginal Student Award she’s recently received from the Irving K. Barber BC Scholarship Society.
And so are hundreds of other Indigenous students across the province, including those in Kelowna, Lake Country, Salmon Arm, Revelstoke, Penticton, Vernon, Keremeos and Summerland.
The students are receiving more than $1.3 million in awards from the society that go to Indigenous students in British Columbian to support their studies at public post-secondary institutions throughout the province.
“Receiving an award from the society has been an incredible support to me and my financial situation,” said Makuch who is pursuing her studies at the University of Northern BC, “and has facilitated my current success.”
The Society’s Aboriginal Student Awards program 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.
“Breaking down barriers and opening the doors to education and training for Indigenous students will equip them with the tools to thrive and succeed,” said Melanie Mark, Minister for Advanced Education, Skills and Training. “Education has the power to transform lives. Investing in education opportunities for Indigenous students is aligned with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action that our government is committed to supporting.”
The Indigenous population in British Columbia is growing at more than triple the rate of the non-Indigenous population, with nearly 45 per cent under the age of 25.
Among the local students receiving awards are:
Kelowna
Ashley Lariviere
Richelle Wells
Wade Gable
Brandon Redford
Jade Cowan
Jesse Lafontaine
Julia Thielmann
Kennedy Pederson
Landon MacGillivray
Matt Lafontaine
Sasha Platz
Shenay Craig
Alexander Rousseau
David Lacho
Evan Ayers
Lisa Renaud
Allison Barton
Kyla Shields
Lake Country
Brett Jackson
Laura Mercer
Armstrong
Todd Hoggarth
Samantha Fuller
Coldstream
Jasmine Keller
Keremeos
Alexander Rousseau
Penticton
Khalilikeh Joyce
Eunice Joe
Revelstoke
Amanda Jones
Salmon Arm
Aaren Hajash
Troy Thomas
Summerland
Graham Brownlee
Jordan Johnson
Vernon
Alicia Mitchell
Bonita Noble
Rae-Ann Lawrence
Cody Isaac
Dexter James
Nicole Skidmore
Reece Schroeder
Kara Ross
West Kelowna
Connor Sandrin
Danielle Douglas
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 $15 million has been distributed to B.C. students from its six scholarship and award programs. The Victoria Foundation provides administrative support to the Society.
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