Hard work in high school pays off – just ask nine top graduating students from Nanaimo who now attend Vancouver Island University.
Bernadette Alvarez (Woodlands Secondary), Anjelica Lum (Wellington Secondary), Kaitlin Ovcharov (John Barsby Secondary), Genevieve Amaral (Dover Bay Secondary), Courtney Davidson (Cedar Secondary) and Matthew Lineker (Nanaimo Christian School), each received a VIU President’s Entrance Scholarship for High School Students for the 2014-15 academic year.
Alexandria Keir (Wellington Secondary) and Ceilidh Glennie (Woodlands Secondary) received VIU President’s Entrance Scholarships for Scholar Athletes, while Meagan Hiebert (Wellington Secondary) received a VIU Chancellor’s Entrance Scholarship for aboriginal students.
The potential value of each award is between $20,000 and $25,000 over four years. The scholarships are renewable for a maximum of five years based on academic performance.
“We’re proud to support our region’s brightest students,” said Ralph Nilson, VIU president and vice-chancellor. “These students worked extremely hard in high school and we believe they deserve recognition and support and the chance to take advantage of the exceptional undergraduate and research opportunities at VIU.”
The nine Nanaimo students are among 23 first-year students from Vancouver Island communities who received entrance scholarships to VIU this year.
Alvarez said she is delighted to receive the award.
“I wanted to study at VIU because I’ve heard good things about the university, and my aunt graduated from here,” says Alvarez, a world champion in karate who hopes to pursue a career with the RCMP.
Keir, also enrolled in VIU’s bachelor of science program, plays for the Mariner women’s basketball team. Keir says she chose to study at VIU because of the “small class sizes, close knit community feel, coaching staff and team environment.”
VIU introduced the full tuition scholarship program in 2008.
For more information, please contact VIU’s Financial Aid and Awards office at 250-740-6423 or FinancialAidInfo@viu.ca.