NDP MLAs Chen & Kang say expanded scholarship funding in Burnaby will help graduate students thrive
BURNABY – New Democrat MLAs Katrina Chen and Anne Kang say that graduate students at BCIT and SFU will benefit from increased scholarship funding in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and other in-demand careers as part of the StrongerBC: Future Ready Action Plan.
“People shouldn’t have to worry about making ends meet when making the decision to pursue higher education,” says Katrina Chen, MLA for Burnaby-Lougheed. “We need to keep working to make education more accessible today, so that our workforce is strengthened tomorrow.”
Simon Fraser University is receiving $795,000, and British Columbia Institute of Technology is receiving $55,000 in funding for B.C. Graduate Scholarships in 2023-2024.
“As a former teacher, I know the importance of life-llong learning. I know that people face financial barriers when pursuing post-secondary education,” says Anne Kang, MLA for Burnaby-Deer Lake. “That is why, by funding scholarship programs at schools like BCIT and SFU, we’re working to reduce stress placed on students, so that they can pursue the careers they’re passionate about.”
This investment from the provincial government of nearly $15 million in graduate scholarships over three years will add $2,500 to each new graduate scholarship award and accelerate talent development, innovation, recruit and retain talent, and support graduate students in succeeding in British Columbia’s growing economy.
Earlier this spring, the B.C. government also invested $50 million into Mitacs to support 10,000 paid internships open to both undergraduate and graduate students over five years.
Learn More: https://news.gov.bc.ca/29385