June 15, 2023 – Grade 12 Vankleek Hill Collegiate Institute (VCI) student Yvesgaëlle Dor is the proud recipient of an $80,000 bursary to study political science at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver.
With the guidance and support of VCI Principal Christie Walker and English teacher Sarah Dagg, Dor submitted her scholarship application to the UBC Beyond Tomorrow scholarship in November 2022. The application consisted of two separate essays written by Dor and a letter of recommendation, written by Walker.
The UBC Beyond Tomorrow Scholars Program provides financial aid to academically qualified Black Canadian students who demonstrate a desire to participate in and enrich the UBC community. This support is crucial for students who would otherwise not be unable to attend the university due to financial constraints.
To be eligible, applicants must maintain a 92 percent average throughout their four years of secondary school. Dor, with an average of 95 percent, has excelled in meeting this requirement.
With additional acceptances from the University of Toronto, Queen's University, and the University of Ottawa, none of them matched the significant scholarship package received from UBC.
“UBC is my dream school, and I can’t wait to be a part of the community there,” she says. Dor plans to take an extra-credit Bachelor of Arts program, with special focus on the courses Law and Society, and Philosophy, Politics and Economics.
Dor received the phone call last month while in the car with her mother says they were both very emotional. “In the moment I felt really happy. It’s like a weight has lifted off our shoulders,” says Dor. The mother-daughter duo plans to take a trip to visit the campus this summer.
As a school leader, Dor is part of the VCI Student Council, involved in the school’s Link Crew to help students transition to high school, and a member of the Upper Canada District School Board Student Equity and Inclusion Committee. She is passionate about social justice and equity issues, including anti-black racism.
“Yvesgaëlle has taught me so much about equity and inclusion and has made me a better administrator because of it,” says Walker. “She has worked so hard to receive this scholarship and I am excited to see what her future holds.”
Walker plans to visit Dor out west when she travels there for the Victoria Marathon next year.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Christie Walker
Principal
Vankleek Hill Collegiate Institute
[email protected]