The Minerva Foundation for BC Women is now accepting applications from women in recovery who wish to be the recipient of Jill’s Family Education Award.
Jill’s Family Education Award is the generous donation of Jill Bodkin – a trailblazer in her field who became BC’s first female deputy minister, and was a long time partner at Ernst & Young. Bodkin has been the recipient of numerous awards including the Governor-General’s Canada 125 medal, the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Association of Women in Finance and a YWCA Woman of Distinction Award, and now serves on the board of Westport Innovations and Vancouver Opera. She also overcame her own addiction 17 years ago.
A statement from the foundation released on Thursday, July 17, said that in establishing Minerva’s newest $5,000 education award, Bodkin has committed herself to supporting women who have also struggled with addiction and are now on a path to recovery.
“When we’re in addiction we have a huge ripple effect on the people in our lives, but in recovery we also have a huge ripple effect,” she said in the statement. “By creating this award, I want to give hope and help women in recovery reach their goals while positively impacting their own future and that of their families.”
Jill’s Family Education Award is for women with at least three years of successful recovery and can be used at any educational institution in BC. The application deadline for Jill’s Family Education Award is August 1.
Women interested in applying for the Jill’s Family Education Award are encouraged to call Jo-Anne Lauzer, Education Awards Program Manager, at (604) 683-7635 ext. 227 or to e-mail her at educationawards@theminervafoundation.com.
Minerva offers a variety of Education Awards for specific fields of study, schools and demographics (such as the Randy Sung Award for women who wish to pursue a career in business and are studying at the UBC Sauder School of Business). To see a list of all available awards, please visit www.theminervafoundation.com.
The Minerva Education Awards support women in financial need to achieve their educational goals. These women aspire to beat the odds and create better futures for themselves, their families and communities. More than $2 million in awards have benefited over 1,000 women in BC since the program’s inception in 2001. These awards are made possible by the generosity of donors and educational institutions in BC who believe in the importance of education for future success.
To learn more about Minerva and the Education Awards, please go to www.theminervafoundation.com.
