Reducing barriers to education for Indigenous students at Thompson Rivers University
To support our commitment to the education, employment and economic empowerment of Indigenous communities, BMO is donating $750,000 to Thompson Rivers University (TRU) over eight years. The donation will fund awards and support the undergraduate research of Indigenous students, which represent 10 percent of TRU’s student population at their Kamploops B.C. main campus and 30 percent at their Williams Lake, B.C. satellite campus. The donation will go towards:
- Student awards for Knowledge Makers, an award-winning mentorship program that guides Indigenous researchers starting at the undergraduate level
- Student awards in the School of Nursing to support Indigenous students across various nursing programs in Kamloops and Williams Lake, and will help to build health care capacity within Indigenous communities
“BMO values its long relationship with Thompson River University. We are honoured to support Indigenous students through scholarships and awards – education is one of the three pillars of BMO’s commitment to Indigenous communities. Our actions and progress against these pillars and the Truth & Reconciliation Commission call to action 92, are guided by our Indigenous Advisory Council and employee Sharing Circle and continue to be a priority for BMO.”
– Paul Seipp, Head of Business Banking, Western Canada, BMO
About TRU
TRU is a public teaching and research university offering undergraduate and graduate degrees and vocational training. With one of the highest percentages of Indigenous students in B.C., TRU has made a renewed commitment to honour truth, reconciliation and rights – recognizing its responsibility to improve education attainment levels, and close achievement gaps within one generation.
BMO has committed nearly $15 million in multi-year donations and pledges to Indigenous causes with nearly a third of that dedicated to Indigenous scholarships and bursaries for education. In 2012, BMO pledged $600,000 over five years to TRU in support of renovations of the Old Main building, now named the BMO Student Street.
