Elizabeth Henry Scholarship for Communities and Environmental Health
Applications for the 2023 Scholarship are now closed. The information on this page is for reference.
DETAILS ON THE SCHOLARSHIP
About the Scholarship
Applications for the 2023 Scholarship are now closed. The information on this page is for reference.
The Elizabeth Henry Scholarship for Communities and Environmental Health supports graduate students working on research projects in partnership with one or more Indigenous and/or non-Indigenous British Columbia communities that are addressing air quality, environmental health issues and/or promoting environmental sustainability through cooperative initiatives.
The Scholarship was created in 2014 with support from the Directors and the staff of the Fraser Basin Council to remember Elizabeth Henry and her many contributions to our organization and to communities across British Columbia. Elizabeth exhibited high ethical standards and integrity in her work, and she was committed to promoting dialogue and respectful collaboration among diverse stakeholders. The intent of the scholarship is to support community projects that reflect these values.
The Elizabeth Henry Scholarship has received contributions from the Fraser Basin Council, British Columbia Clean Air Research (BC CLEAR) Fund and from the many friends, family members and colleagues who wished to remember Elizabeth and her work.
The Vancouver Foundation administers the scholarship fund, and the Elizabeth Henry Scholarship Committee evaluates applications and awards the scholarship.
The Elizabeth Henry Scholarship is a yearly award to a graduate student or students whose proposed research is based in British Columbia. In 2023, the amount of the award has been increased to $4000.
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Eligibility Requirements
Applications for the 2023 Scholarship are now closed. The information on this page is for reference.
These are requirements for the Award:
- The applicant must be a full-time graduate student for at least one semester before being awarded the scholarship
- The student’s proposed research project must focus on working in partnership with one or more Indigenous and/or non-Indigenous British Columbia communities that are addressing air quality, environmental health issues and/or promoting environmental sustainability through cooperative initiatives
- The project must have well-defined objectives and research methodologies as well as tangible project outcomes that provide direct and ethically sound benefits to the community
- Preference will be given to significant and innovative projects
- Preference will be given to projects that directly engage the community, and where strong community support and buy-in are demonstrated.
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Application Process
Applications for the 2023 Scholarship are now closed. The information on this page is for reference.
Applications are made online. As an applicant, you will be asked to provide basic contact information, information on previous experience and a project description (max 750 words).
You will also be asked to provide digital copies of:
- your undergraduate transcript
- your transcript of graduate courses to date (if applicable), and
- two signed letters of reference on official letterhead evaluating your capabilities and/or the significance and feasibility of your research project. One letter should be from your academic supervisor, while the second may be an academic, employer or community partner reference (both letters sent directly from the references by email).
Please note: Each letter of reference is limited to 500 words. As all documents must be submitted online, you may provide a PDF or scan of your transcript. It is not necessary to ask your post-secondary institution to submit an official transcript.
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Evaluation Criteria
Applications for the 2023 Scholarship are now closed. The information on this page is for reference.
The Elizabeth Henry Scholarship Committee evaluates each application based on the following:
- the applicant’s satisfaction of eligibility requirements
- the applicant’s academic performance
- direct benefits to the community of the proposed research project
- alignment of the project with the scholarship values: high ethical standards, integrity and promoting dialogue and respectful collaboration among diverse stakeholders
- preference will be given to significant and innovative projects
- preference will be given to projects that directly engage the community and where strong community support and buy-in are demonstrated
The decision of the committee will be final. The Elizabeth Henry Scholarship Committee thanks all applicants for their interest in the scholarship.
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Scholarship Committee
Here are the members of the Scholarship Committee:
Suzanne Henry
David Henry
Ilona Dougherty
Hana Boye
Charlotte Argue
Jim Vanderwal
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Contributions Invited
The Fraser Basin Council and the Elizabeth Henry Scholarship Committee warmly thank everyone who has contributed to the Elizabeth Henry Scholarship Fund.
Thanks to your generous support, the Scholarship Fund has so far awarded a total of $25,000 to graduate students doing innovative, community-based research in British Columbia. We have now reached and surpassed our goal $100,000 in the scholarship fund and are able to commit to awarding a $4,000 scholarship in 2023.
New contributions to the Fund are welcome. The Vancouver Foundation manages the Fund and will issue a charitable tax receipt for each donation of $25 or more.
To make a donation, visit the Vancouver Foundation donation page.
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Meet the 2022 Scholarship Recipients
The Fraser Basin Council and the Scholarship Selection Committee warmly congratulate Micah May and Ezra Yu, recipients of the 2022 Elizabeth Henry Scholarship for Communities and Environmental Health.
Learn about their projects!
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Sign Up for Updates
Stay current! Receive updates on Elizabeth Henry Scholarship Fund for Communities and Environmental Health in your inbox.
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About Elizabeth Henry
 Elizabeth was a bright light in our midst. Everyone who knew Elizabeth benefitted from her talent, her insight, and her warm, generous nature. She had a passion for making positive change in the world, and compassion for the people around her. She showed each of us what it means to be a good colleague and friend, and a good person.
Elizabeth was committed to education. She held a B.Sc. in Ecology from the University of Guelph and an M.A. in Adult Education from the University of British Columbia.
Elizabeth excelled at her work. As Program Coordinator of Climate Change and Air Quality at the Fraser Basin Council, Elizabeth was pivotal to the success of many climate change action and adaptations initiatives, and successfully facilitated various multi-interest processes. She coordinated programs to help local governments and First Nations increase their energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions and adopt transportation demand management strategies. She also oversaw the BC Clean Air Research (BC CLEAR) Fund, which provides grants for research to support air quality in our communities.
Elizabeth loved the outdoors. We knew her to be a determined commuter cyclist who was unfazed by any weather, an avid outdoors enthusiast who loved exploring beautiful places across B.C. and Canada by ski, by bike and on foot, and as a gardener who graciously shared the bounty of her efforts.
Elizabeth made her passions an inspiration. She engaged people in sustainability issues that were important to them and their communities. She had a particular interest in developing relationships with indigenous communities through the process of decolonization, which was a major focus of her Master’s degree. She worked to engage indigenous communities in all areas of her work at FBC, helping to bridge gaps between indigenous and non-indigenous people. In everything she did, she strove to connect with people at the grassroots who were trying to make a difference in their communities.
Elizabeth left us too soon. Despite a brave effort to overcome illness, Elizabeth passed away in the spring of 2014 at the age of 32. The scholarship is one step towards honouring Elizabeth in the way she wished, by supporting her passion for sustainability and her desire to see good work continue.
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