WI highlights new scholarships

This month's column highlights the latest scholarships with the P.E.I. Women's Institute.

In over a century of Women's Institute on P.E.I., the boards and some branches have developed an array of scholarships for the benefit of residents.

The P.E.I. Women’s Institute has developed two additional scholarships from sales of the recently published recount of Prince Edward Island’s Famous Five. Published by the Interministerial Women’s Secretariat, the book tells the story of how five women made political history, holding five of the most influential positions of government in the province in 1993. Copies of the book are still available by contacting the WI office at 40 Enman Cres. in Charlottetown. These scholarships highlight both the Women’s Institute’s roots in agriculture and the leadership and team effort displayed in health care during COVID-19 in Prince Edward Island.

With proceeds from the P.E.I. Famous Five book, the Prince Edward Island Women’s Institute is offering two, one-time only scholarships with the hopes of adding more with additional book sales. A scholarship of $1,000 will be offered to a student entering a career in health in an academic program at a college or university. A second scholarship, also valued at $1,000, will be offered to a student entering a career in agriculture in an academic program in a college or university.

The theme of these scholarships is to honour the team effort under the efforts of Dr. Heather Morrison and Marion Dowling as they led residents through the pandemic on P.E.I., as well as highlight the agriculture roots of WI and the province of Prince Edward Island.

To be considered for an academic scholarship, all applicants must submit a completed application form to the P.E.I. Women’s Institute. Applications can be completed and submitted along with supporting documents by mail, online or dropped off at the office at 40 Enman Cres., Charlottetown, by Sept. 30. Along with the application form, the applicant must provide transcripts from their current or most recently attended high school, college or university, a resume, two references and a short essay. The essay can be up to three pages and must outline why they are choosing their career and what factors in their life influenced the choice they made. Applications must include the name of the program they are entering and the institution in which they will be studying. Proof of acceptance is also required for the program of study from the educational institution.

Successful applicants will be notified by the WI Office of the Prince Edward Island Women’s Institute in early fall of 2021.

Another deadline is also slated for Sept. 30. The Helen Herring Scholarship of $500 will be awarded to a student from Prince Edward Island who, by September of the current year, is enrolled in their third year of a university program leading to a degree in foods and nutrition/dietetics, family science/studies, human ecology or a related discipline. The course of study should include a broad spectrum of courses relating to areas of knowledge and skills necessary for the welfare of families in their homes and communities. Herring played an integral role on P.E.I. in the development of the WI on P.E.I.

For these and more awards and scholarships, view online at www.peiwi.ca as listed under resources.

The PEIWI board and staff wish everyone a safe and healthy summer.

This article is prepared by Ellen MacPhail, executive director for the PEIWI, and appears in the Guardian every second Wednesday of the month. For more information on the P.E.I. Women’s Institute or to comment on this column, visit www.womensinstitute.pe.ca, call 368-4860 or email wi@gov.pe.ca.