Nanwakolas Council Gifts $11,000 to Grow Bursary at NIC

Press Release

May 9, 2016

The North Island College Foundation recently received $11,000 from the Nanwakolas Council in support of First Nations students studying at NIC.

The funds, raised at the annual Nanwakolas Council Corporate Challenge golf tournament, will be invested through the NIC Foundation to help grow the TL’axsam Memorial Bursary Endowment, which was established in 2012.

Dallas Smith, President of the Nanwakolas Council, initiated the creation of the bursary, and the annual golf tournament, both of which honour his friend, former Comox Valley MLA Stan Hagen.

“Stan was the inspiration behind this idea,” said Smith. “TL’axsam, meaning Red Cod, was the honourary name the K’ómoks First Nation gave to Stan because of his rosy cheeks. Mr. Hagen was an advocate for First Nations and education. This bursary will help ensure his legacy lives on.”

“It is our hope that this bursary will grow over the years to a point where post-secondary education is a given, as opposed to the exception in First Nations communities,” he added. “Showcasing successful students to youth will show that if the will is there, the opportunity is there as well.”

The Corporate Challenge has raised $23,500 over the last three years. When combined with the more than $10,500 that the donations have received in matching funds from North Island College, the endowment’s fund balance currently stands at over $34,000. The income generated annually will support an approximate $1,300 bursary for a student every year, forever.

“The creation of this bursary not only honours Mr. Hagen’s memory,” stated Susan Auchterlonie, NIC Foundation’s Executive Director, “But it also ensures that financial circumstance is no longer a barrier to post-secondary education and allows students to achieve their educational goals locally, which is a much healthier option for both families and communities.”

The TL’axsam Memorial Bursary was awarded for the first time in 2015 to Christina Smith, a Campbell River student currently enrolled in NIC’s Applied Business Technology program. In addition to her schooling and raising her young family, Ms. Smith is active in her community, supporting at-risk Aboriginal youth as a wilderness guide, leader, support worker and mentor.

To donate to the North Island College Foundation, or for more information about creating a scholarship or bursary, please visit www.nic.bc.ca/foundation.

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Photo caption: Dallas Smith President of the Nanwakolas Council (centre) presents an $11,000 cheque to NIC President John Bowman, the NIC Foundation’s Erin Petersen and NIC Foundation Board Member Garry Griffin. The gift will help grow the TL’axsam Memorial Bursary in support of Aboriginal students studying at NIC.

Media Contact:

Susan Auchterlonie
Executive Director, NIC Foundation
Office: 250-334-5271 | Mobile: 250-898-4146
susan.auchterlonie@nic.bc.ca

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