Alberta Blue Cross scholarships are available: Apply today!

By Regan Treewater, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

(ANNews) – Within academia Indigenous voices remain shockingly underrepresented. “Our scholarships for Indigenous students work to address the education inequity faced by Indigenous peoples in Alberta by making post-secondary studies more financially accessible,” reads the Alberta Blue Cross website. It is no secret that institutions of higher learning are expensive, and anyone who has ever taken out a student loan can attest to the long-term financial commitment that this can pose.  Education should never be reserved for the elite privileged of the world, but serve as a tool to elevate members of a larger society.

Morgan Chalifoux, the 2023 recipient of the Alberta Blue Cross Indigenous Scholarship commented: “I decided to go back to school to study for my Social Work diploma. I grew up in a generation that had the effects of residential schools, so there were a lot of barriers and stigmas.”

Chalifoux, a student at NorQuest College in Edmonton exemplifies why better access to education benefits not just the individual, but the greater community at large.

“The doors I want to open, and the places I want to be, and the tables I want to sit at to help my people; I can’t do that without my education,” she added. Pivoting online during the global pandemic meant that Chalifoux spent more time googling opportunities, and it was through social media that she found out about this particular scholarship.

“This [Alberta Blue Cross] scholarship meant the world to me. It made it possible, and it made it easier to continue my studies. On top of being a student, you also have the financial burden, we have our mental health, we need our social support, we have a lack of resources: [there are] so many different barriers. This meant one less piece of the puzzle to worry about.”

Chalifoux is a mother of four who is modeling for her children that education is accessible and attainable for those who seek to pursue it. “In my heart, as long as I’m happy, my kids are happy, I’m passing my courses, I’m maintaining my mental health, I’m keeping myself well: that matters to me,” explained Chalifoux. “I’d like to support my community and myself by just being in the community. A lot of times, I’ll attend the community events, and I’ll make sure I go that extra step or that extra mile to put myself out there.”

Chalifoux embodies the philosophy that if she works to build a stronger community, it will mean a better future for her children. “I think I can make a big impact, especially being an Indigenous woman,” she said with a smile. “There’s not a lot of us that have the opportunity; I wish there was.”

Luke Klug, the 2022 recipient of the scholarship, had already studied at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) in the personal fitness trainer program before returning to school. After working with a professional welder who suffered from chronic shoulder pain, Klug’s dream of pursuing a career as a physio therapist became more vibrant in his imagination.

“I’ve always had in the back of mind that I wanted to go be in physio,” he explained. “This scholarship has meant a number of things to me. For one: being a single father and trying to study and achieve high academic grades is challenging to do if you have to work and you have to do other things. So, having this scholarship has made it easier for me to pay my child-support, it’s made it easier to put food on my own table, to feed myself, to pay my rent, and these things are incredibly important because I think if you are stressing about finances your overall performance in life will decline…Having a little bit more money to live is absolutely crucial.”

Taking the big dive back into schoolwork can be intimidating at any age.  In Klug’s words: “The advice I would give to somebody who has been out of school for a while and considering post-secondary is: figure out which grants and scholarships you can apply for, and apply for every single one of them… I can honestly say that I wouldn’t be able to live the quality of life I live right now or perform as well academically if I hadn’t taken advantage of all these opportunities.”

Applicants must be a member of a First Nation or band, have Inuit, Metis, or Indian status, and have resided in the Province of Alberta for the past twelve months consecutively. Those who are eligible must be new to the Alberta Blue Cross Indigenous Scholarship program and be enrolled full-time at an accredited Alberta post-secondary institution pursing a degree or diploma program with a minimum duration of two years.  The application portal is now open online, and bringing dreams to life may be just a click away. For information, visit community.ab.bluecross.ca.