Right to left: Cassandra Lum; Andrew Klingel, Okanagan College School of Business Professor; and Abbey Jones, at the Enactus National Exposition in Toronto in May 2016.

Image Credit: Contributed/Okanagan College

OKANAGAN - Two Okanagan College students will soon have the chance to continue their education abroad after receiving coveted awards from the Irving K. Barber British Columbia Scholarship Society.

Madeline Kempf and Cassandra Lum of Okanagan College’s School of Business are two of only six college students in the province to receive the Premier’s International Scholarships this year. The awards, valued at between $6,000 and $10,000 each, assist students studying a wide variety of subjects ranging from fine arts to nursing to political studies at colleges and universities around the world.

“It’s great to see students gaining international experience through support from the Irving K. Barber BC Scholarship Society,” says Jim Hamilton, President of Okanagan College.

“Ike really believed in the transformative power of education. His support of students throughout the province has created a legacy that grows each year. It benefits students across such a diverse array of programs, backgrounds, interests, and institutions.”

For Penticton’s Cassandra Lum, receiving the scholarship was the ticket to fulfilling a long-standing dream of studying in France. Okanagan School of Business students currently have the opportunity to study abroad at institutions in 16 different countries.

“I couldn’t be more excited for this opportunity,” says Lum, who will graduate next June with a Bachelor of Business Administration specializing in Accounting. “I think it’s extremely beneficial to have a worldly view when it comes to business, but beyond that I firmly believe travel is just such an important part of how we learn and grow outside of the classroom.

Lum will depart for EDHEC Business School in Nice at the end of August.

“Studying abroad is a wonderful option the school provides,” says Lum. “I’d certainly encourage students to consider it when planning their studies.”

The scholarship win caps off a busy and rewarding year for Lum, who also served as President of Enactus Okanagan College, a community of young entrepreneurial leaders committed to advancing social issues through business. At the Enactus National Exposition in Toronto in May, Lum and fellow BBA student Abbey Jones were two of only 10 students from all across Canada to take home national Founders Bursaries.

The Irving K. Barber British Columbia Scholarship Society has awarded more than $3.1 million in international scholarships since the program’s inception in 2008. The Premier’s Scholarships are awarded once annually, while the Society’s One World International Scholarships are disbursed to students throughout the year.

Along with international scholarships, the society provides transfer scholarships and financial awards and scholarships for Aboriginal students at the undergraduate level through to those enrolled in Doctoral studies.

This year, Okanagan College students hoping to study overseas can apply online to tap into $35,000 available in One World Scholarships from the Society. More information about these and other awards for study abroad applicable to OC students is available online. 

News from © iNFOnews, 2016