As the University of Lethbridge wraps up a year of 50th anniversary celebrations, the recipients of the Shine On 50th Anniversary Fund scholarships have been awarded. Established to celebrate the U of L’s golden anniversary, the scholarships exemplify alumni, staff, faculty and community coming together to help students shine brighter.
The first 10 students have been awarded scholarships. We caught up with a few of them, and they offer these words:
"I’m extremely grateful and honoured to have received the Shine On Scholarship. Scholarship support has allowed me to go through my academic journey with less weight on my shoulders and fewer worries about expenses. Education is so important and because of scholarships like this and the donors who contribute, education can be more accessible and attainable for many individuals. I’m incredibly appreciative of the generous donors who have helped to support my schooling and provided me with the resources to succeed. Thank you so much to all the donors who made this possible."
Nichole Giokas
“Receiving the Shine On Scholarship has made my university journey incredibly more manageable and enjoyable. Having such incredible people associated with the University of Lethbridge has made it that much easier to focus on meeting my personal, educational goals and achieving my full potential. To all the donors that have made this scholarship possible: thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me this exceptional opportunity to look back on my time in university with nothing but the fondest memories, where I needed to worry far less, and was able to excel that much more.”
Ashley Prefontaine
“The Shine On Scholarship has helped me to afford to stay in Lethbridge and maintain a healthy lifestyle! Thank you to all of the people who donated to help me and my fellow students. I’m proud to be a part of the University’s golden anniversary!”
Nora White
“I am very thankful to be a recipient of the Shine On Scholarship. I have worked extremely hard over the past three years in my post-secondary education and it’s nice to see it start to pay off. This scholarship money takes some of the stress away from my unavoidable financial payments; it will allow me to focus more energy and attention on my schooling. Thank you to all the donors who made this possible.”
Gavin Broadhead
There are many opportunities to effect change, love and impact people without a formal education. However, the avenues I would like to pursue to couple these passions with legal advocacy are achieved through educational studies, time and hard work. Additionally, within the educational system itself lie great opportunities for personal growth, and I am grateful to have the opportunity to experience and grow in these areas. These also carry a high cost, which is why I am sincerely grateful to have been chosen to receive the Shine On Scholarship. This scholarship has lifted some pressure, which as a student in an environment of multi-faceted pressure-points, is really welcome. It has also spurred me on in the midst of new challenges. Thank you so much for your kindness and generosity.”
Christina Vanderkwaak
The Shine On Scholarships fund will “shine on” into future with the hope that it will become endowed .
“We are so excited to award the Shine On 50th Anniversary Fund scholarships to very deserving students and are so grateful to each and every donor who helped make these scholarships possible,” says Barry Knapp, director of development at the U of L. “Thank you for helping us celebrate the U of L’s golden anniversary and creating this incredible legacy.”