By Kojo
St Lucia-born Toronto Raptors ahead Chris Boucher took a major step towards empowering college students of Caribbean descent by awarding the inaugural SlimmDuck Basis Scholarship at Toronto Metropolitan College (TMU). The scholarship, established by way of Boucher’s SlimmDuck Basis, goals to scale back boundaries to larger schooling and supply monetary assist to college students from the Caribbean neighborhood. The announcement occurred at an occasion hosted by The Chang Faculty of Persevering with Training at TMU on October 12, 2023.
Helen Harry, a scholar initially from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, was named the primary recipient of the scholarship. Expressing her gratitude, Harry mentioned, “The SlimmDuck Scholarship will assist ease a few of my monetary burdens as I begin learning in direction of my dream of changing into a midwife.” The scholarship covers participation in TMU’s Spanning the Gaps – Entry to Submit-Secondary Training program and gives $5,000 in direction of her first-year undergraduate tuition.
Boucher, who has skilled his personal journey of overcoming challenges to attain success, emphasised the significance of schooling and equitable entry. “Congratulations to Helen Harry for receiving the inaugural SlimmDuck Basis Scholarship at Toronto Metropolitan College,” mentioned Boucher. “We’re proud to supply equal entry to larger schooling for college kids of Caribbean descent, a mission immediately aligned with the targets of my Basis.”
The Spanning the Gaps program gives a vital pathway for non-traditional learners who could have incomplete admission necessities for conventional post-secondary schooling. By bridging these gaps, this system permits learners to pursue their educational aspirations. The monetary backing from the SlimmDuck Basis ensures that college students like Harry can give attention to attaining their targets with out the added stress of monetary constraints.
Gary Hepburn, Dean of The Chang Faculty at TMU, highlighted the significance of donor assist in fostering academic fairness. “At The Chang Faculty, we’re deeply dedicated to eradicating boundaries to schooling for mature, equity-deserving, and non-traditional learners. Spanning the Gaps wouldn’t exist with out the generosity of donors like Chris Boucher and The SlimmDuck Basis,” Hepburn famous. “Monetary assist from the SlimmDuck Scholarship will assist recipients construct a stable basis to succeed in their academic targets.”
The SlimmDuck Basis’s dedication to schooling underscores Boucher’s perception in giving again to the neighborhood. By way of his philanthropic efforts, Boucher hopes to encourage younger individuals of Caribbean descent to pursue larger schooling and understand their potential. His personal journey—from going through adversity to changing into an NBA participant—serves as a testomony to what will be achieved with willpower and assist.
Along with celebrating the scholarship recipient, the occasion acknowledged college students who accomplished the Spanning the Gaps program, additional highlighting TMU’s dedication to fostering academic inclusivity. This system is at the moment accepting purposes for the Winter 2024 semester. Potential college students are inspired to contact The Chang Faculty of Persevering with Training at spanningthegaps@torontomu.ca for extra info.
By establishing the SlimmDuck Scholarship, Boucher has not solely contributed to the educational success of scholars but in addition strengthened the significance of neighborhood assist in breaking down boundaries to schooling. Because the inaugural recipient, Helen Harry represents the potential influence of such initiatives on the lives of Caribbean college students in Toronto and past.
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