The Belleville Rotary’s Indigenous Peoples Partnerships Committee (IPPC) of the Belleville Rotary Club has been active since 2012.
The IPCC recently awarded three $1,000 bursaries to Indigenous students returning to Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON for the 2019-2020 budget year. Recipients of the Indigenous Professional Development Bursary include:
- Alyssa Hoey, a Kinesiology Degree student funded by the Belleville Rotary Club
- Megan Crawford, a Bachelor of Science Nursing Degree student funded by the Trenton Rotary Club
- Joleigh Hayes, a Bachelor of Commerce Degree student funded by the Wellington Rotary Club
These Indigenous students were successful in a competitive application process for Indigenous Professional Development Bursary because of of their positive academic performance, community service involvement and financial need.
Since 2015 the IPCC has allocated 15 bursaries to Indigenous students attending university or college who represent a wide variety of areas of study.
Each possess very compelling stories about their lives. Many of these students have a common goal; their desire to gain specific professional skills in order to return to their communities to offer support and guidance in a way that respects their Indigenous culture.