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Métis Nation of Alberta announces $130,000 endowment for Medicine Hat College

Sep 12, 2018 | 3:56 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — Métis students attending Medicine Hat College will be receiving significant financial assistance from the Métis Nation of Alberta.

The organization announced an endowment fund of $130,000 for Métis students at the college Wednesday afternoon.

“This in absolutely an amazing day and an amazing partnership with Rupertsland Institute and the Métis Nation of Alberta,” said Whitney Ogle, Indigenous Student Specialist at the college. “The surprise of it being more than what we expected is just great for our community and our students.”

Medicine Hat College contributed $30,000 to the endowment.

The money will be used to provide scholarships and funding to Métis students at the college. Ogle says discussion of the endowment has been underway for the past two years.

For Ogle, the endowment allows the Métis population in Medicine Hat to have increased accessibility to education.

“We have a number of Métis students attending the college, so to have specific funding available for them to stay in our community, in Region 3, is going to be huge in accessibility,” she said. “We’re going to be able to stay here in our families, in our communities and go to school here.”

The Métis Nation of Alberta have provided endowments at 18 colleges across Alberta, with the total money invested now totalling $25 million.