Pictured, far left:
Roxann Whittingham,
class of 2020 and donor
Top right: Sybil Taylor, a Georgian
College donor, member of the
Advancement Committee, and
member of the Advertising and
Marketing Communications
program advisory committee
Bottom right: Clement Bamikole,
Georgian faculty
Georgian College hosted several anti-Black racism forums
between the summer of 2020 and winter of 2021, with
the intention of having honest discussions about the
experiences of people of colour at the college. One of
the recommendations that came out of these forums was
to help remove barriers to postsecondary education by
creating scholarships for Black students.
With support from Georgian donors, three new
scholarships were launched this year.
Sybil Taylor, a member of Georgian's Advancement
Committee and long-time volunteer on the Advertising
and Marketing Communications program advisory
committee, launched the Robert and Qennefer Browne
Award to honour her parents.
"When I was established as a professional, I asked my
parents if I could pay them back for the financial support
they gave me while I was in school," says Sybil. "They
said no, but if I had children one day I should help them
get an education, and if I didn't have children, then I
should help someone else's children get an education."
Georgian alumna Roxann Whittingham, class of 2020,
created the Black Education Empowerment Fund
(B.E.E.F.) scholarship, which will be available to students
studying at the college's Orillia campus. Roxann, who
studied at the Orillia campus herself, hopes the award
will encourage a higher representation of Black students
at the campus, stimulating diversity in the college
community.
Wanting to encourage a workforce that is representative
of the diverse people of Canada, Hyundai Canada
established the Hyundai Canada Diversity Scholarship,
which will be presented to a full-time student in
the Honours Bachelor of Business Administration –
Automotive Management program, with preference
given to Black students. Recipients will demonstrate a
commitment to community involvement and provide a
written statement about what diversity and equality in the
automotive industry means to them.
Professor Clement Bamikole is one of the leaders of
Georgian's forums, and sees the creation of these new
scholarships as a positive step on the continuum from
ally to accomplice. "To be an ally is only the first step,"
he notes. "To be an accomplice means you're willing to
go out of your comfort zone and assert your power with
action. Offering financial support via scholarships is a
tangible and positive action to help reduce barriers for
Black students wanting to attend college."
DISCUSSIONS INSPIRE ACTION
Three new scholarships launched at Georgian
31 GEORGIANVIEW 2021 SPRING
SCHOLARSHIP SPOTLIGHT
