Photo by Thunderboy Photography. Words by Jennifer Friesen.
“My thesis research used a combination of writing and oral storytelling through digital story work. The Calgary Foundation’s First Nations, Métis and Inuit Graduate Bursary covered the cost of the technology that I needed to successfully parallel the Western and Indigenous ways of sharing information that I had envisioned.” — Barbara Horsefall, bursary recipient
In 2019, the Thorner/Johnston/DiMarzo Family Fund established the First Nations, Métis and Inuit Bursary at Calgary Foundation, awarding three $3,000 bursaries to First Nations, Métis and Inuit students in any year of study at a Canadian post-secondary institution.
Applications poured in from across the country from both undergraduate and graduate degree students. The number of applications from qualified candidates showed the program could be expanded to broaden and deepen the bursary’s impact.
Savannah Wells has been a member of the selection committee since 2020. As an Indigenous woman, she says she’s excited to see how many Indigenous students are seeking out the bursary to further their education.
“By taking education back into our own hands and for scholarships to be created for Indigenous students, that’s part of the process of overcoming colonialism,” she says. “Colonial systems can hold you back from achieving your dreams, but so many Indigenous folks are going for higher education. We’re breaking the stereotypes, and I just love that.”
The Calgary Foundation’s Student Awards team partnered with the Grants team to provide further bursary funding. The collaboration resulted in six additional $3,000 bursaries in 2019: three for undergraduate students and three for graduate students.
For the 2020 student awards season, the bursary was reorganized into two separate bursary programs. The Thorner/Johnston/DiMarzo Family Fund supports the First Nations, Métis and Inuit Undergraduate Bursary, supporting First Nations, Métis and Inuit students attending an Alberta post-secondary institution pursuing an undergraduate degree, diploma or certificate program. This year, the family is offering four $3,000 bursaries through its fund.
In 2020, the Foundation established the Calgary Foundation First Nations, Métis and Inuit Graduate Bursary. The $3,000 bursary provides direct tuition support for First Nations, Métis and Inuit students attending any year of study at a Canadian post-secondary institution pursuing a graduate degree, including medicine and law professional programs. Since 2019, nine graduate students have been supported.