Student Stories
Student Stories
Pamela Langevin
2015 BC Aboriginal Teacher Education Award
Pamela Langevin is in her second semester of the Bachelor of Education Post-degree Professional program at the University of Victoria. This program allows participants to study four condensed terms in order to obtain the degree. Langevin received a $5,000 Aboriginal Student Award in 2015 to support her in her studies. Read Pamela's story
Kristiana Bailey
2015 BC Aboriginal Teacher Education Award
Kristiana Bailey is in the final leg of a long and challenging path to receiving her Bachelor of Education. Enrolled in the Alaska Highway Consortium on Teacher Education at Northern Lights College, Bailey received a $5,000 Aboriginal Student Award from the Irving K Barber BC Scholarship Society in 2015. With only four courses remaining, the end is in sight. But it hasn't been easy. Read more about Kristiana
Codie Lavoie
2015 BC Aboriginal Student Award (Undergraduate)
Pursuing a career in medicine is time-consuming, difficult and expensive. For Codie Lavoie, the journey was made a little easier with a $3,500 BC Aboriginal Student Award. After overcoming his own serious personal health issues, spending time in rural villages in Kenya, and serving his own father in the emergency room while on student internship, a career in medicine is something Codie feels is a job he's "born to do." Read more about Codie
Veronica Plihal
2015 Transfer Scholarship
With a strong belief that everyone deserves to get the support they need, Veronica is studying psychology at the University of Victoria with the goal of becoming a clinical psychologist in a rural community. She began her studies at North Island College in the Comox Valley and was able to transfer to UVic with the help of an Ike Barber Transfer scholarship. Read Veronica's story
Melissa Rektor
2015 Transfer Scholarship
Born and raised in Prince Rupert, Melissa grew up in the outdoors. She began her studies at Northwest Community College, and with the help of a $5,000 Ike Barber Transfer Scholarship, she was able to transfer to Royal Roads University in Victoria to complete her degree in Environmental Science. Read more about Melissa
Ryan Tomm
2015 BC Aboriginal Student Award (Masters/Doctoral)
Ryan is heading in to a combined Masters/PhD program in behavioural neuroscience at the University of British Columbia this fall. Originally from the Seton Lake Nation, Ryan sees the opportunity through his program to help improve Aboriginal health and wellness. "I want to use the knowledge I will learn in graduate school to help my community and First Nations communities across Canada. Many leaders within our communities are rising up in all fields of research, and I feel humbled to be a part of this very exciting time," he says. Read more about Ryan
Kyle Bobiwash
2015 BC Aboriginal Student Award (Masters/Doctoral)
Kyle, from the Missisauga First Nation, is a PhD candidate at Simon Fraser University researching pollination. He's always been interested in bees and nature, and his studies help him understand how biodiversity can support healthy ecosystems and thriving communities. Eventually, Kyle wants to help create sustainable farms on reserves and demonstrate the opportunity that First Nations communities have in sustainable agriculture. Read more about Kyle.
Nathan Sletten
2015 BC Aboriginal Student Award (Masters/Doctoral)
Nathan, a master's student at University of British Columbia Okanagan, is studying exercise physiology and health-related conditions in children and youth. "Maintaining health is so important in Aboriginal communities," says Nathan. His research and concern for the growing health issues in many Aboriginal communities led Nathan to focus specifically on children and youth -- he sees his work in that area having the greatest impact. Read Nathan's story
2015 BC Aboriginal Student Award (Masters/Doctoral)
Originally from the Stoney Nation in southern Alberta, Terry is pursuing a PhD in public administration at the University of Victoria. She believes wholeheartedly in the ability of First Nations to govern their own affairs, and chose to study public administration to support the management and leadership capacity of First Nations. Read Terry's story
James Smith
2014 BC Aboriginal Student Award (Undergraduate & Past Recipient)
James, of the small community of Yunesit'in, received the BC Aboriginal Student Award to fund his studies in engineering at the University of Victoria. He hopes to eventually work to bring renewable energy like wind and solar to remote communities like his own.
Ayla Brown
2014 BC Aboriginal Teacher Education Award
Ayla received a 2014 BC Teacher Education Award to fund her studies in UBC's Indigenous Teacher Education Program (NITEP). Ayla, of the Heiltsuk Nation, moved from her home community of Bella Bella to Vancouver to pursue her program. Her work with youth in Bella Bella and her NITEP studies have showed her the transformative power of culturally relevant education.
Kaisha Woods
2014 BC Aboriginal Student Award (Undergraduate)
In 2014, Kaisha Woods received a BC Aboriginal Student Award to fund her studies at the University of British Columbia-Okanagan. Originally from Terrace, Kaisha is studying nursing with the eventual goal of becoming a doctor.
Tara Good
2014 Transfer Scholarship
Moving all the way from Fort St. John to Kelowna, Tara Good was awarded an Ike Barber Transfer Scholarship to finish her business administration degree. When Tara started her program at Northern Lights College, she knew she'd have to move away to finish her degree--but she was determined to find a way.
Read more about Tara
Christina Postnikoff
Making the leap from the comfort of home to a university 450 kilometres away can be daunting for any undergraduate student, but $5,000 in financial assistance can go a long way to easing the transition. That eased transition is the experience for Christina Postnikoff, who recently transferred from Selkirk College in Castlegar to Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops to complete a social work degree.