Southeast College students received $37,630 in scholarships and bursaries at the college’s annual Industry-Education Luncheon Thursday at the Estevan campus.
The awards were presented to students in various programs, including fourth class power engineering technician, continuing care assistant, electrician, industrial
mechanic, office administration, welding and heavy equipment and truck and transport technician.
“We understand how hard it is to be in post-secondary, how much work it is,” said Jeff Richards, the vice-president of strategic development at the college.
Jody Holzmiller, the college’s vice-president of training, said competition for the scholarships this year was tough, with 164 student applications that were received.
She described the luncheon as a celebration for three important groups of people: the students who commit to furthering their education and being successful; instructors who continually support students inside and outside the classroom; and donors who recognize the importance of financial support in student success.
While students work hard to achieve academic success, she said there are still some barriers for finances. Contributions from donors provide hope for students, as well as encouragement and strength to succeed and the emotional strength to see their education to the end. They also have a desire to make the community a better place.
“Your donations are not just money,” Holzmiller said when she addressed the donors. “It’s symbolic in that it demonstrates a level of trust in those who are the recipients. They will take what you have so graciously provided, and turn it into something good.”
Donors often provide support to someone they have never met, creating what Holzmiller described as a level of gratefulness that’s hard to express.
Thirty-six scholarships were presented to 23 students on Thursday.
Southeast College post-secondary scholarships for $750 each went to fourth class power engineering student Jason Cross, electrician Dylan Flood, heavy equipment and truck and transport student Nolan Duesing, industrial mechanic Jayden Sittler, office administration student Janine Ridgway, first-year university student Robert Dupuis, and welding student Jason Green.
Enbridge Pipelines Fuelling the Future Scholarships, worth $1,000 each, went to Jordan Allard and Emma Kerr in the industrial mechanic program, Allan Gervais and Nathanael King in power engineering fourth class, Kiley Bouchard and Jason Green in welding, Roy Amoncio and Daxton Monson in heavy equipment and truck and transport, and Kevin Bowey in the electrician program.
Xerox bursaries of $500 each went to office administration students Heidi Shaw and Ridgway.
King and electrician student Matthew Kesslering received $1,000 City of Estevan bursaries. Power Dodge Scholarships for $1,000 each went to Allard and Kerr.
Souris Valley Paving bursaries for $1,000 were earned by Kesslering and Shaw.
Bowey also received a Saskatchewan Oil and Gas Show Fuelling the Future bursary for $1,000 and a $1,500 Viterra fuelling the future scholarship. Office administration student Lacey Christensen received a $1,000 Estevan Lions Club bursary and a $1,000 Weyburn Oilwomen’s Association Pursuit of Education scholarship.
Also, Duessing received a $1,000 Southern Industrial and Truck Fuelling the Future Scholarship, Continuing care assistant student Jae Yon Kim received a $1,000 Quota International of Estevan scholarship, office administration student Eunji Kim received a Saskatchewan Opportunity Scholarship for $1,750 from the Government of Saskatchewan, and industrial mechanic student Monica Elson received a Fire Sky Energy Ronald Wanner Scholarship for $2,000.
The Al Yeaman Studentship Award for $4,130 went to office administration student Christy McNeil. Richards noted it’s the top award the college has to offer, and it covers a year of tuition and books.
Yeaman was the college’s first principal in the 1970s.
Southeast College scholarships and bursaries are made possible by donations from community organizations, businesses and individuals, as well as various fundraising events such as the college’s Swing for Scholarships Golf Tournaments.
Eligible funds are matched by the Ministry of Advanced Education through the Saskatchewan Innovation and Opportunity Scholarship (SIOS) program.
Of the $37,630 awarded in Estevan, $18,815 was contributed through the SIOS program.
Holzmiller said the college will hand out more than $184,000 in scholarships and bursaries in the 2017-18 school year, including $35,000 in entrance awards in the fall, $39,000 for achievement awards such as those distributed on Thursday, $21,000 through the Fuelling the Future campaign, and $89,000 through the SIOS program.
