Albany Benson honoured with elite national scholarship
Albany Benson’s academic future looks bright indeed.
Benson was recently awarded a large scholarship from TD Bank — just over $17,000 per year for four years, to offset tuition and living costs. Since 1995, 580 Canadian high-school students have received a TD Scholarship for Community Leadership for their post-secondary education totalling $29 million from TD.
Each year, 20 scholarships are available to be awarded to students in their last year of high- school or CEGEP (in Quebec) and have a value of up to $70,000, including up to $10,000 for tuition and $7,500 for living expenses per year for a maximum of 4 years. Recipients also have the chance to make lifelong connections through summer employment with TD or at a community organization funded by TD through the TD Ready Commitment, as well as mentorship and networking opportunities.
Only 20 students received the TD Scholarship for Community Leadership, a nation-wide award. Benson was one of two TD recipients from Ontario – an elite cohort, which TD brought together in Toronto on May 26th to officially announce and celebrate the recipients.
“It was definitely interesting getting to hear what the other recipients have done in their communities,” Benson said of the ceremony. “Their contributions were so diverse, someone had done work with hospitals, and some had helped with food insecurity, sports, there was such a big variety” of how these students contributed to their communities.
See: Indigenous Youth Circle’s sending care to the far North
Benson learned of the scholarship through her school guidance councillor at Chippewa Secondary and decided to apply. When she received an e-mail from TD telling her she had been chosen for the scholarship, “I thought it was spam,” she said, she couldn’t believe it, but once she read the message, she ran to tell her parents the great news.
Alicia Rose, AVP, Social Impact at TD, noted " at TD, one of the ways we help deliver on our purpose is by supporting the changemakers of today and tomorrow, who embody exceptional community spirit and leadership and have the potential to make a meaningful impact in the years to come."
"Through the TD Ready Commitment, the Bank's corporate citizenship platform, we're proud to offer this scholarship program to support these outstanding students who are dedicating their time, talents and energy to support change and nurture progress, as they begin the next step of their educational journey," Rose continued.
Benson was selected for the scholarship for “her dedication to supporting the Indigenous communities in her region,” TD noted in a release. Indeed, this past year alone Benson helped to organize a city-wide drive to collect baby items for families in Fort Albany, she serves as the Indigenous Student Trustee for the Near North District School Board and helps lead the board’s Indigenous Youth Circle.
On May 22nd, Benson was also honoured with the Young Leader Award, part of the Community Builders Awards presented by BayToday.
See: Community Builders Awards: This year’s Young Leader award winner has the drive to help others
This fall, Benson will begin her four-year undergrad at Nipissing University. After that she plans to attend law school and advocate for Indigenous rights. She will remain involved in the community during her Nipissing days and has already been checking out the school’s list of clubs and groups.
She saw a listing for a club focused on Indigenous culture, which caught her eye. “It might be outdated,” she said of the list. “I don’t know if the club is still around, but if it is, I’d like to join.”
“And if it isn’t, then I’d like to make my own.”
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
David Briggs, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, BayToday.ca
