On Friday afternoon, two scholarship recipients met the creators of their scholarships at UBC Okanagan. On hand for the occasion were Dr. Doug Owram, Deputy Vice Chancellor at UBC Okanagan, student David Carlton, Yasmin Thorpe and MLA Rick Thorpe, and student Jonathan Palmer.
Two UBC Okanagan students from the South Okanagan have been selected for scholarships of $2,500 each from the Rick and Yasmin Thorpe and Friends “Our Students, Our Future” Entrance Scholarship.
Jonathan Palmer, a graduate of Summerland Secondary School, is enrolled in the first year engineering program at UBC Okanagan. David Carlton graduated from Penticton’s Princess Margaret Secondary and is enrolled in the first-year Bachelor of Arts program at UBC Okanagan.
“Receiving a scholarship like this really encourages you,” says Palmer, who plans to study electrical engineering. “It reminds me that I have the ability to excel, and a responsibility to pursue excellence in my studies.”
“This scholarship has really helped me – it has allowed me to attend university and broaden my horizons,” says Carlton, who hopes to teach literary studies and classics at a university one day.
The Rick and Yasmin Thorpe and Friends Scholarship was established with an initial investment of $125,000 by Okanagan-Westside MLA Rick Thorpe, his wife Yasmin, and friends as a way to assist future generations of Okanagan students reach their potential. Income from the fund is matched by UBC Okanagan and Okanagan College, generating an annual award amount equivalent to a $250,000 endowed fund.
“This scholarship is an investment in our youth, who are the future entrepreneurs, innovators and leaders who will see the Okanagan prosper and grow,” says Rick Thorpe. “We can help our students achieve their dreams and at the same time help ensure our communities stay strong and vibrant for generations to come.”
“We’re honoured that Rick and Yasmin Thorpe and friends have established this scholarship, and it is exciting to see the first of these annual awards to UBC Okanagan students,” says Deputy Vice Chancellor Doug Owram. “There is a great need for scholarships to assist students in pursuing post-secondary education. We hope the exemplary leadership shown by the Thorpes will encourage others to support scholarships for Okanagan students.”
Entrance scholarships valued at $2,500 each are available to high school students graduating from secondary schools on the west side of Okanagan Lake – from Killiney Beach to Penticton — who enroll at either UBC Okanagan or Okanagan College.
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