Applications for 2024 Diversity Scolarship Awards Open April 2024
Contact: Aekyung Shin, Executive Assistant
Email: ashin@icavictoria.org
Ways To Give
Your tax-deductible donation helps ICA welcome, support and provide much-needed services for immigrants and refugees as they settle into the community. There are many ways to give a gift that has a direct, positive impact on the lives of newcomers. Donate or volunteer today!
ICA’s Diversity Scholarships are awarded to students from a diverse and/or immigrant background who demonstrate in their academic and community work active support for strong community values around diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Capital Region. Application dates for the 2024 scholarships will be announced in the spring.
High School Scholarships:
- One $2,000 scholarship to a graduating high school senior
(Made possible through the generous support of the Canadian International Council, Victoria Branch) - One $5,000 scholarship to a graduating high school senior of Indian descent
Undergraduate & Graduate Scholarships:
- One $2,500 scholarship for an undergraduate student
- One $2,500 scholarship for a graduate student
The 2023 Diversity Scholarship Awards were presented at our Annual General Meeting on September 13th to four recipients from diverse immigrant backgrounds who have demonstrated in their academic and community work their active support and strong values around diversity, equity, and inclusion in Greater Victoria.
Thanks to the support of generous donors, ICA was able once again to offer $12,000 in scholarship awards over four categories. This year we had a tremendous response with so many exceptional applications making the selection process exciting but difficult. Congratulations to our 2023 recipients, we look forward to seeing where your studies take you and how you help shape great initiatives in our community.
The 2023 Diversity Scholarship Recipients
In 2014 when he was around 10, Steven moved to Victoria, where he continues his passion for speech arts to this day! When he is not sharing stories, Steven enjoys biking, spending time with friends and family, and listening to music.This year, Steven is excited to attend the University of Victoria where he will be studying at the Gustavson School of Business. He hopes to use his expertise and passions in the future to keep storytelling, whether in the workplace or in front of an audience! Steven is ever grateful for the hard work and sacrifices his family has made to immigrate to Canada—providing him with a solid foundation to grow and thrive.
Undergraduate Student: Moora Paw
Moora’s journey began following her family’s displacement due to the civil war in Myanmar. She grew up in a Karen refugee camp located on the Thai/Myanmar border. Raised by her maternal grandmother, Moora was taught that the only way out of a life of manual labour was through education. She excelled academically, earning a teaching degree from Pu Taw Memorial College in Thailand’s Mae-La refugee camp. In 2014, she received a scholarship through the World University Services of Canada (WUSC) for her undergraduate studies at the University of Victoria, where she obtained her B.A. degree.
Moora’s first-hand experiences with discrimination, racism, and human rights violations have inspired her to advocate on the behalf of marginalized communities. Driven by her dedication to empowerment and advocacy, she started her legal education within UVic’s Faculty of Law four-year Juris Doctor/Juris Indigenarum Doctor. Currently in her third year of studies, Moora continues to advocate for the disenfranchised, marginalized, and oppressed.
Her ambition is to become Canada’s inaugural female Karen refugee lawyer. She hopes to inspire and motivate individuals from similar backgrounds to reach for new horizons. Moora remains committed to advocate for marginalized individuals through policy reform and legal representation.
Graduate Student: Jie Li
Jie Li was born and raised in Yinchuan, China until age 19 when she moved to Hong Kong for her undergraduate studies. She was the first-generation college student in her family and received her Bachelor of Social Sciences degree from the University of Hong Kong with first-class honors in 2019.
After graduating, she worked at a local non-profit organization in Hong Kong providing casework services to refugees and undocumented immigrants. This experience exposed Jie to the profound mental health challenges these communities face and their urgent need for culturally sensitive interventions. Motivated by these insights, Jie decided to pursue graduate studies in clinical psychology and began her Master’s degree at the University of Victoria in 2020.
Jie is currently a PhD student in clinical psychology at the University of Victoria. During her graduate studies, Jie has actively engaged in both research and community initiatives to address inequalities and promote prosperity for historically neglected and vulnerable groups.
She hopes to become a clinical psychologist, providing culturally sensitive mental health services, contributing to research, and advocating for policies that promote well-being and inclusion for immigrant and refugee communities.
Dr. Chandra Paul Singh Scholarship Fund: Subrahmanya Palavajjhala
Game Changer: Youth Employment Program
The Game Changer Youth Employment training Program pays youth (17-29) to learn the skills they need to find secure employment and a career path to success.
Ways To Give
Your tax-deductible donation helps ICA welcome, support and provide much-needed services for immigrants and refugees as they settle into the community. There are many ways to give a gift that has a direct, positive impact on the lives of newcomers. Donate or volunteer today!
Bystander Intervention Training
The Bystander Intervention Training Program is designed to equip individuals and organizations with practical skills and tools to be anti-racist allies and create cultures that promote dignity.