Aspiring Indigenous students wanting to make waves in the world of finance, business and leadership have been given a $100,000 boost from CIBC to help access relevant programs at Royal Roads University.
The CIBC Entrance Award will provide qualifying Indigenous students with support in the range of $2,000 to $10,000 towards tuition and fees.
The first entrance awards will be disbursed in 2025 with up to 50 Indigenous students studying business and leadership at Royal Roads benefiting from the financial support.
Speaking at an event on Dec. 5 to celebrate the donation, Spencer Walker, a Royal Roads alum and director, team lead for commercial banking at CIBC, said the entrance awards will help “eliminate barriers to progress” for Indigenous students.
“So they can find meaningful work in finance, business and leadership,” said Walker. “These students are the next generation of leaders in our communities and together with Royal Roads, we at CIBC are proud to support them as they strive to achieve their academic ambitions.”
“It's critical to remove barriers to education to ensure that every changemaker has the chance to pursue their dreams,” added Philip Steenkamp, president and vice-chancellor of Royal Roads University, who noted there is a growing number of Indigenous students attending the university.
“Our vision statement is inspiring people with the courage to transform the world because you need a lot of courage to start on a journey like this,” said Steenkamp. "But of course, it also requires a financial commitment.”
Courage and the gift of education was also at the heart of Butch Dick’s welcome message at the event.
“The dedication of the dollars, it's part of the encouragement,” said Dick, a respected elder and member of the Heron Peoples Circle, who was awarded an honorary degree by Royal Roads in 2021. “But the dollars don't move everything: it's professors, instructors and staff of educational institutes that add the rest to that, which is very important.
“I believe education is a gift and it's a gift that needs constant nourishment for everyone.”
CIBC’s donation marks one of the first to be announced towards the university’s ambitious $50 million fundraising campaign, Leading with Courage.
The university says the fundraiser will “profoundly benefit” students, researchers, faculty, Indigenous engagement and education, climate action initiatives and campus spaces.
