16 November 2021
De Beers Group is pleased to announce the 2021/2022 recipients of four post-secondary scholarships for Canadian women enrolled in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
This year’s award recipients – Angelina Arrowmaker, Caitlyn Beck, Isabelle Boucher, and Jena Lyons – are from the Northwest Territories and are enrolled in post-secondary studies in biomedical physiology, health sciences, life sciences, and psychiatric nursing, respectively. Please see the backgrounder for more information on the successful candidates.
These students join seven other Canadian women who are receiving the third instalment in a three-year scholarship, bringing the total scholarship amount awarded this year to US$43,200.
Of the seven renewing recipients, five are from the Northwest Territories, one is from Nunavut, and one is from Northern Ontario. Their fields of study include Bachelor of Science programs, neuroscience, chemical engineering, and engineering.
Mpumi Zikalala, Managing Director of De Beers Group Managed Operations, said: “As a global leader for inclusion and diversity, we are investing in scholarships to remove barriers and smooth the way for women to enter careers in STEM. We recognize that girls look up to the women in their communities who are paving the way in areas traditionally dominated by men. The young women who have received De Beers Group scholarships will serve as an example to future generations and inspire others to follow in their footsteps. It is exciting to be a part of this legacy.”
The scholarships are part of De Beers Group’s partnership with UN Women and the company’s commitment to Accelerate Equal Opportunity in the countries in which it operates. Priority for the scholarships is given to Indigenous women and women living in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Northern Ontario and Southern Alberta. The scholarships are administered by Scholarships Canada, which received more than 260 applications this year.
Since launching in 2018, 64 scholarships have been awarded to Canadian women through the De Beers Group/UN Women partnership. Twelve recipients attended the University of Waterloo, 18 were at the University of Calgary, and 34 scholarships were funded by De Beers through Scholarships Canada to help women from the NWT, Nunavut and Northern Ontario attend post secondary programs.
In March 2021, De Beers Group announced that it was extending its global partnership as a HeForShe Thematic Champion for UN Women for an additional five years. The five-year commitment will see De Beers Group enhance talent development and succession programs, extend training and awareness activities to encourage dialogue and challenge stereotypes, conduct regular reviews based on metrics and ongoing feedback, and enable access to STEM careers and education.
De Beers Group has also launched its Building Forever commitments in four key areas, which includes a focus on advancing women within our business and in local communities and will feature new scholarships to support Canadian women in STEM and women in trades.
- ends