National scholarship program built on reconciliation
- Kerry Benjoe | December 15, 2022
TD Bank Group has launched a brand new Canada-wide scholarship program for Indigenous Peoples in partnership with the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association of Canada. The TD Scholarship for Indigenous Peoples is open to First Nations, Metis and Inuit students who are members or citizens of a First Nation, Metis or Inuit community.
25 scholarships will be awarded to high school and post-secondary students. These scholarships include a yearly $15,000 for tuition and living expenses, as well as summer internship opportunities for each recipient.
The idea of a scholarship program was first brought forth by colleagues from the bank’s Indigenous community.
Joshua Cayer, diversity sourcing partner for Indigenous Peoples at TD, delivered a statement on the company’s behalf.
“Education is critical in helping prepare youth for the future,” said Cayer. “Research shows that the gap to attain post-secondary education for Indigenous Peoples continues to grow and that one of several barriers is lack of funding.
“As part of our continued commitment to the Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action #92 for Corporate Canada, TD has, with input from AFOA Canada, built this scholarship program with the focus of helping to meet the unique needs of students from the Indigenous community and break down the systemic barriers that can make getting a post-secondary education difficult. As Canada’s fastest growing population, the goal of this program is to help youth from the Indigenous community with their academic and professional success.”
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s call to Action #92 asks Canada’s corporate sector to adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as a reconciliation framework and to apply its principles, norms, and standards to corporate policy and core operational activities involving Indigenous peoples and their lands and resources.
Successful candidates will be chosen through a selection process set out by AFOA Canada and TD, which includes evaluation by a committee.
Scholarship recipients will then have the opportunity to complete a TD summer internship at the end of each school year, prior to their final year of study.
The internships are not one-size-fits-all. Since the scholarship is for students located anywhere in the country, the internships will be located at TD locations across Canada and across various lines of business.
For students not located in the same city as a TD office, there is some flexibility, with virtual, hybrid and in-person opportunities.
The students are promised the opportunity to build their network through mentorship and career development programs, while gaining real-life work experience and expanding their career opportunities in the future. Following completion of their post-secondary schooling, recipients will be considered for full-time employment at TD.
Applicants from diverse educational paths are encouraged to apply. An applicant’s program of study can be in any field as long as it is at an approved post-secondary institution. To remain eligible, students must remain enrolled and in good standing in their program for the duration of the term.
The program hopes to help students from Indigenous communities attain the financial freedom and stability to explore and benefit from post-secondary education and work experiences.
Interested students can find more information on the scholarship and application process at afoa.ca/td.
Applications are accepted online, by mail or fax.
Fax: Attention Shannon Polches (613) 722-3467
Mail: c/o Shannon Polches
PO BOX 99900 CA 312 803
STN B
FREDERICTON NB E3A 5W5
The deadline for submissions is January 16, 2023, 5:00PM ET.