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UPDATE: Girls Inc. scholarship deadline extended

Last Updated Oct 30, 2019 at 11:54 am MDT

PHOTO. Students hard at work participating in a BrainSTEM Alliance function. Girls Inc. of Northern Alberta announced a three-year partnership with Finning Canada providing scholarships for female students pursuing a STEM-related field in post-secondary education. Supplied by BrainSTEM Alliance.

Girls Inc. of Northern Alberta announced they extended the deadline for the Finning Canada STEM Award.

The new cutoff date for applications is Jan. 31, 2020.

Finning Canada contributed a total of $15,000 to Girls Inc. over the next three years.

The Vancouver-based heavy equipment dealer pledged $3000 over the next three years for Girls Inc.’s Operation S.M.A.R.T. Program.

Finning will also award two $1000 scholarships to all female students pursuing post-secondary education in STEM.

Moreover, their partnership led to the founding of the Finning Canada STEM Award.

Finning’s Vice President of Mining Solutions, Brent Davis, said Girls Inc. keeps with their purpose to build a better world.

“In keeping with our core purpose to build and power a better world and our focus on STEM education in youth, Finning encourages girls in the region to get involved in the program and consider applying for the Finning awards to assist with their continued education in a STEM field.”

Davis added participants of S.M.A.R.T. would receive preference for scholarships.

Scholarship breakdown

The first $1000 scholarship shall go towards a young woman, who applied or enrolled in a post-secondary school in a STEM program.

They prefer the recipient to be a graduate of Operation S.M.A.R.T. and a Wood Buffalo resident.

Meanwhile, Girls Inc. shall award an Indigenous female student or a person heavily involved in Indigenous communities with the second $1000 scholarship.

That student would also apply or already study in a post-secondary school STEM program with preferences given to S.M.A.R.T graduates and Wood Buffalo residents.

Nanase Tonda, Executive Director for Girls Inc. of Northern Alberta, also talked about the bold, new initiative.

“Together with a growing body of advocates for women and girls in STEM, we hope that many girls in our community find sparks and passion through this program and ultimately break the gender stereotypes.”

The application period begins Sept. 15, 2019, and end on Jan. 31, 2020.

Girls Inc. will announce the scholarship winners on Feb. 11, 2020: The International Day of Women and Girls in Science.

STEM is the acronym for the study of science, mathematics, engineering or technology.