27 April 2020
De Beers Group is pleased to announce that scholarship applications are now open for Canadian young women applying for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) and STEM-related baccalaureate programs at Canadian post-secondary institutions this fall.
The company is offering four new scholarships as part of its US$504,000 commitment to support at least 40 Canadian young women get into STEM programs between 2018 and 2021 working in partnership with UN Women’s HeForShe movement. Worth US$2,175 each, the one-year scholarships will be offered through a partnership with Scholarships Canada.
“There is no better way to leave a lasting, positive legacy than to invest in education and demonstrate that women are equal to the task when it comes to science, technology, engineering and math,” explained Mpumi Zikalala, Managing Director of De Beers Group Managed Operations, which includes operations and offices in Canada. “We are proud to have supported 29 young women in enrolling to universities across Canada and narrow the gender gap in STEM programs, and we look forward to exceeding our goal by the end of this current program.”
In addition to the new scholarships, at least eight young women who received funding through Scholarships Canada for the 2019-2020 school year are eligible to apply to renew their funding for a second year.
Applications are accepted online at debeersgroup.scholarshipscanada.com until 11:59 PM ET on June 1, 2020. Special preference for the scholarships is given to Indigenous and other young women from northern Ontario, southern Alberta, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
De Beers Group has also funded six scholarships at the University of Calgary, open to female undergraduates in Earth Science and Engineering. Application information is available through the University.
Four additional awards are also available at the University of Waterloo for female undergraduates entering their first year in Earth Sciences, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Geological Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. University of Waterloo scholarships are awarded based upon academic performance and student financial needs.
The STEM scholarships are just one component of the De Beers Group and UN Women partnership and a commitment by De Beers Group to invest US$3 million over three years in programs that support young
women and girls in Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa.