L-R: Amelia Sirianni, director of operations for Vernon and District Immigrant and Community Services Society, is presented with donation from Noelle Crombie and Brendan Willis from the Willis Family Foundation. (Submitted photo)

By Pete McIntyre

$2,000

Vernon Immigrant Services awarding bursaries for newcomer students

May 26, 2022 | 12:00 PM

The Vernon and District Immigrant and Community Services Society will be awarding up to two bursaries this year to assist newcomer students with their post-secondary education costs.

Newcomer students can be immigrants, refugees, naturalized Canadian citizens or first generation Canadians.

The bursaries, worth $2,000, were made possible by donations from community members and local groups and organizations.

“Our largest donors for this year’s bursaries are 100+ Women who Care Vernon and The Willis Family Foundation. We are so grateful for the support from organizations with a vested interest in the success of newcomer youth as they pursue their educational dreams,” said Amelia Sirianni, director of operations for Vernon and District Immigrant and Community Services Society (VDICSS).

Newcomer students from across the North Okanagan (Vernon, Coldstream, Lumby, Cherryville, Armstrong, Enderby) who are entering into, or returning to studies at a university, college or technical school, are eligible to apply for a bursary. VDICSS is asking applicants to share about their life in Canada and what it means to them to attend a program in their new country.

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The VDICSS Post-Secondary Immigrant Bursary Program Committee will review all applications and make recommendations to the society’s board of directors, who will choose the recipients of the bursaries.

An announcement of the recipients will be made shortly after that.

The deadline for applications is Friday, June 17, 2022.

For more information or to request an application for the Post-Secondary Immigrant Bursary contact: vdicss@vdicss.org 250-542-4177