For many students, returning to school after a break is much harder than going to school in the first place. Resuming an academic career that is interrupted by other priorities – family needs; community service – can be particularly challenging.
“Everyone is on a different path in life, and we wanted to support people who are active in the community,” says Barry Meckler, President and CEO of Interior Savings Credit Union, explaining the organization’s motive for creating a bursary at UBC Okanagan for students who return to university after a pause of a year or more.
Interior Savings Credit Union is a financial institution with 80,000 members and 21 branches throughout the central and southern interior of BC. In December 2008 Interior Savings and UBC announced the creation of the Lifelong Learner Bursary.
This bursary will be awarded annually, beginning in 2009, to a UBC Okanagan student with one or more dependents who is entering or returning to post-secondary education after a pause in studies of one year or more, and who has demonstrated active community involvement.
“Our organization is dedicated to the prosperity of our communities, and the people in them,” says Barry. “So we understand how important it is to support people who are active and volunteering in the community; people who have family or community obligations that so far have kept them from pursuing their education goals.”
“We know that these people have the potential to become strong leaders because they value both education and building community.”
The Lifelong Learner Bursary joins a bursary that Interior Savings previously established at UBC Okanagan, for which any student in financial need is eligible.
Interior Savings has also partnered with UBC Okanagan in a monthly luncheon series that brings together successful UBC alumni with third and fourth year students. The three or four alumni have a panel discussion about their education and careers, helping students understand that a successful career pathway is not necessarily linear.
“We get excellent feedback on these events from the students and alumni,” says Amanda Sheehan, Community Investment Advisor for Interior Savings.
She adds, “The staff at UBC Okanagan were fantastic to work with in creating the Lifelong Learner Bursary. And it’s wonderful that this is an endowment that will endure over time.”
Back to the SCHOLARLY PURSUITS ’09 story index
Awards to benefit UBC Okanagan
Visit the UBCO Development website, contact an Awards staff to discuss giving opportunities, or fill out our online reply form.
Donate Online to support UBC Okanagan
