Great Plains College awards $114,000 at fall scholarship receptions 

Posted on 10 November 2022 by Prairie Post

Great Plains College is pleased to announce that $114,000 in Entrance Scholarships was provided to 99 deserving students at the fall scholarship receptions in October. 

“Making the choice to continue your education is a big decision and we understand many students weigh the cost of the program heavily before deciding to take that step,” said Bryce Martin, donor services coordinator at Great Plains College. “Receiving financial support through the form of a scholarship creates new possibilities, removes barriers and ultimately offers a pathway to education that may not have otherwise been possible.” 

Highlights from this fall’s scholarship distribution include $105,000 awarded to 89 students at the Swift Current Campus and $9,000 awarded to 10 students at the Kindersley and Warman Campuses. These amounts include the first presentation of the new International Student Awards, where five awards of $2,000 each were presented to international students at the Swift Current and Warman campuses. 

Additional scholarships along with Adult Basic Education Persistence Awards, the Living Sky Casino Indigenous Adult Basic Education Persistence Awards and the SREDA Indigenous Economic Development Scholarship will be awarded later this academic year to students at the Biggar, Kindersley, Maple Creek, Martensville, Swift Current and Warman Campuses. 

Great Plains College is also proud to have established the Ukrainian Student Emergency Relief Bursary this year to provide emergency funding assistance to Ukrainian students whose continued education is at risk due to unexpected financial challenges during the war on the Ukraine. A total of $21,000 will be distributed to 42 students this month. 

“We can’t thank our donors enough for the generosity they continue to show year after year,” added Martin. “As National Philanthropy Day approaches on November 15, we want to send an extra ‘thank you’ to each of our donors whose dollars go directly to supporting our students in their studies. Without their contributions, none of this would be possible.” 

The college boasts one of the most competitive scholarship programs among regional colleges in the province. Since 2009, more than $2 million has been distributed to students enrolled in full-time student loan-eligible programs 

Applications for 2023-24 Entrance Scholarships are now being accepted. Students are automatically considered for an Entrance Scholarship of $500-$5,000 when they apply to a full-time student loan-eligible program before the April 30, 2023 scholarship deadline (for September-entry programs). Grade 11 students with at least a 70 per cent average are also eligible for an additional Early Entrance Award of $1,000 when they apply to any full-time student loan-eligible program before June 30, 2023. 

More information on Great Plains College’s scholarship program, deadlines and other awards can be found at greatplainscollege.ca/scholarships. Anyone interested in supporting students through the Entrance Scholarship program at Great Plains College can visit greatplainscollege.ca/donate or reach out to Bryce Martin at development@greatplainscollege.ca.