This year’s Danielle Moore Scholarship recipients have been announced. Each student will receive $3,000 to go towards their post-secondary education. The winners are Haily Arnaqjuaq of Sanirajak, Candy Ivalutanar of Naujaat, Aura Kwon of Iqaluit and Kara Campbell of Iqaluit.
“This being the third year we have run this scholarship we had more response than ever before,” says Ryan Oliver, founder and chief executive officer of Pinnguaq. “We are so delighted that Danielle’s impact continues to carry on across the territory through this scholarship.”
“These four recipients are at varying stages in their education but all share an interest in STEAM [science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics] and a passion for improving the lives of their fellow Nunavummiut,” says Oliver. “Danielle’s mom Clariss, her dad Chris and her brother David once again joined me in reviewing all eligible applicants as we undertook the difficult task of choosing the scholarship winners. This year, like the previous years, there were many worthy applicants we received, and once again the number of winners has increased.”
This scholarship is intended to assist Nunavummiut with ongoing formal and informal education and skills development. It is offered in memory of Danielle Moore, who taught at Pinnguaq’s Iqaluit Makerspace. Moore was travelling to Kenya to represent Canada at the United Nations Environment Assembly aboard flight ET302 when it crashed in Ethiopia in March 2019.
Pinnguaq recently partnered with the Moore family to help maintain the funding for the scholarship for at least 10 years, while also discussing with potential partners how to expand not just the longevity, but also the scope of the scholarship.
Haily Arnaqjuaq, of Sanirajak, is, at the age of 21, moving out of her family home for the first time and pursuing a degree in engineering after completing Lakehead’s Indigenous STEM Access program.
“It’s a program that enhances our sciences that you missed in high school because it wasn’t offered or something, so you can take higher-level university courses," she says. "We have limited subjects where I’m from as it’s a remote community... I did one science.”
Arnaqjuaq previously studied at Nunavut Sivuniksavut, but remained at home and took classes online during Covid-19. This scholarship offers her the opportunity to “feel secure with my funding, just in case I’m short on my tuition — also with books and food.”
She became interested in engineering after working repeatedly as a summer student for the Sanirajak Housing Association.
“During the first year, one of the people would mentor me... it inspired me to pursue more in that field.”
Arnaqjuaq, in order of preference, would like to be an electrical engineer, followed by a mechanical or civil engineer.
The chance to head south to university has left her "a little bit nervous, but super excited.” She added that her family is “very supportive but nervous as I’m their baby.”