Nova Scotian wins prestigious scholarship

By Erin McPhee
BA III

Julie Leggett, of New Glasgow, won a Fairfax scholarship worth $5,000. In spite of St. Thomas’s vast number of university scholarships awarded each year, it is rare a student wins such a large prize from another organization.

St.Thomas is renown for its high percentage of students receiving scholarships. However, it is less common that a student receives an award from an outside organization.

Second-year student Julie Leggett experienced a pleasant surprise this semester when she discovered she was being awarded the Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited Scholarship, valued at $5,000.

Registrar Larry Batt says that the Fairfax scholarship “has been available for a number of years, but this is the first time a student approached me to apply for it.”

There are 60 Fairfax scholarships given out from the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) each year. Thirty-six are given out at the university level and 24 at the college level. The value of this scholarship is $5,000 per year in an undergraduate program and $3,500 in a college diploma program. Julie’s award is renewable for three years, or until she obtains her first degree or diploma.

Winning the award is incredibly satisfying, Julie says, as the extensive application process “was a nightmare.” The 21-year-old student found out about the scholarship on the internet and began the process this past February, only finishing the lengthy application in June. She went to Sylvia Hale, department chair of sociology, for nomination; Barry Craig, department chair of philosophy, seconded it. Family friend Geraldine Fraser also supported her application. Julie also explains that the head teacher at her high school, John Jennings, has immensely helped improve her studies and esteem. “Not only did he encourage me but he also went out of his way to nominate me for the Lieutenant Governor Award [for academic achievement]” (which she won).

Julie graduated with honours from the Adult High School in her hometown of New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. She lived with her parents, Janice and David MacDonald, and her brother, Matthew. She was attracted to St.Thomas for its criminology program and its close-knit school atmosphere. “I didn’t even bother applying anywhere else,” she says. “I knew I wanted to come here. It’s perfect.” Julie will enter into the Interdisciplinary Honours Program next year in the areas of criminology, psychology and sociology.

After completing her degree she is interested in working for CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service), which is the Canadian equivalent to the FBI, or maybe as a civilian detective with the RCMP. “I have always had a strong interest in criminology,” she explains.

Julie has been a volunteer with EMO - Ground Search and Rescue in New Glasgow for three years, which she believes helped her in her bid for the Fairfax award. She continues to volunteer for the group during her time away from St.Thomas. Additionally, Julie has worked with children at the YMCA and taught swimming lessons.

Therefore, Batt says that Julie was "an excellent candidate to nominate." Last year, she received a Canadian Scholar's Award ($2,000) from St. Thomas, and a Federal Government Bursary valued at $4,000. Julie is also the recipient of the St.Thomas Outstanding Scholar Award (2000-2001) for high academic standing.

“The security of these awards has provided me with a great deal of stress-relief and has allowed me to focus more on my main priority, my school work,” Julie says. “For that, I’d like to say how much I appreciate the help of professors Hale and Craig, and Larry Batt.”