Scholarships, bursaries help fuel academic journey of STM students

Each year, Dr. Carl Still, President of St. Thomas More College gets the chance to perform one of his favourite duties - helping to present scholarships and awards to deserving students. 

This year, more than 130 scholarships, awards and bursaries were handed out to burgeoning scholars who have declared as STM students. The awards have been funded over the more than 85 years of the College's existence by caring donors, and they are one of the benefits of being officially associated with the liberal arts College.

"There are a few events each year that always bring joy to St. Thomas More College," said Dr. Still. "When we welcome students at the beginning of the year; when we see students receive their degrees at Convocation; and when we present scholarships and awards to our most promising students."

The ceremony, held on Nov. 19, 2022, began with more than 30 different first-year students sharing nine different Entering Student Awards. 

For the Continuing Students Awards Celebration, more than 35 different students shared in 27 different awards this year. The award amounts begin at $500, and are often $1,000, $2,500, or even more.

The scholarship and awards recipients are selected based on a variety of criteria, including academic achievement, and in the case of the Les and Irene Dube Service & Justice Scholarship, their passion for social justice. There are scholarships targetted at students with rural backgrounds and for students of Indigenous or Northern backgrounds. All help make the expensive journey toward a degree possible.

As well, more than 30 bursaries based on financial need were given out this year.

Dr. Still lauded the donors who made the more than $225,000 available in the annual awards possible. Several of them were on hand to personally present the awards and congratulate the deserving recipients.

"We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to all of them. Every scholarship and award has a story behind it, and a person or persons without whose vision and generosity it would not exist," he said. "Students, if you want to see what real leaders look like, take a good look at our donors. Parents and families believe in the students they know; donors go even further and believe in students they don't know."

See the full list of 2022-2023 Scholarships and Awards HERE