2005 News Releases
June 28, 2005Record number of scholarships awarded to students in 2004-05
Edmonton... More than $14 million in scholarships named in honour of two Albertans have been awarded to over 13,000 post-secondary students in the province, the largest number of these scholarships ever awarded.
The Jason Lang Scholarship and the Louise McKinney Post-Secondary Scholarship are awarded each year to thousands of deserving Alberta post-secondary students. The scholarships were created to reward academic excellence and encourage students to continue their undergraduate program in the following year.
"The honour of these scholarships is twofold," said Advanced Education and Technology Minister Dave Hancock. "We are paying tribute to two special Albertans by recognizing the great work of many bright students. Alberta has one of the best student assistance programs in the country, and it is encouraging to see so many students benefiting from these programs."
The Jason Lang Scholarship, valued at $1,000, was established in 2000 in memory of the 17-year-old Taber student who was killed in a shooting at his high school. Since 2000, more than $38 million has been awarded through this scholarship. Students eligible for the scholarship must have achieved a grade point average of 3.2 or greater while enrolled in full-time post-secondary study and be continuing into their second, third or fourth year of an undergraduate program in Alberta.
The Louise McKinney Post-Secondary Scholarship honours Louise McKinney, a member of the "Famous Five," who fought for women's rights and public health in Alberta in the early 20th century. To receive a Louise McKinney Post-Secondary Scholarship valued at $2,500, students must be nominated by their post-secondary institution for exceptional academic achievement. Each nominee must be a resident of Alberta, enrolled in full-time post-secondary study and continuing into the second or subsequent year of study in an undergraduate program.
Strengthening Alberta's Advanced Education and Technology system is the Alberta government's top priority this year. This commitment was reinforced in Budget 2005 when the government announced a $7.5-million increase in scholarships, bursaries and grants that will be awarded in 2005-06.
In 2004-05, more than $40.5 million in scholarships was awarded to high school students, undergraduate students, graduate students and apprentices. More information about these and other scholarships available though Alberta Scholarship Programs is available online at alis.alberta.ca.
Editor’s note: A complete list of all scholarship recipients is online at http://www.advancededucation.gov.ab.ca/scholarships/.
