Ten first-year women were selected as recipients for the De Beers Group Scholarships for Canadian Women this year. Each will receive a $4,500 scholarship to support their studies in a STEM-related subject at a Canadian college or university.

A big congrats from the ScholarshipsCanada and De Beers Group teams to the ten worthy recipients, who were drawn from a pool of nearly 500 applicants.

Let's meet these incredible recipients, and learn a bit more about their personal stories.

Amelie Aubrey-Smith

Amelie is from Fort Smith, traditionally known as Thebacha, in the southeastern part of the Northwest Territories, and she's pursuing a BSc in biology at Mount Allison University.

Her experiences seeing climate change up-close drove her to choose the sciences, and she hopes to return to the North "to have an impact on shaping the science, government policies, and laws in relation to climate change in Northern Canada."

Last year, Amelie was the only woman in her chemistry and math classes. Now that she's a recipient of a De Beers Group scholarship, she hopes to "inspire all of the other young women" in her community who aspire to enter the sciences.

Congrats, Amelie!

Brenna Beck

Brenna is our first of two Becks from Hay River, Northwest Territories, on the south shore of Great Slave Lake. Brenna's in her first year of a sciences degree at UBC's Okanagan campus.

Brenna is a Métis student, and receiving a De Beers Group scholarship is helping to "fuel [her] pursuit of knowledge in the fields of science and psychology." Her goal is to develop the skills she needs to make a positive contribution back home in NWT.

She aims to "become a role model for other young, Indigenous women of the north who dream of pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics."

Well done, Brenna!

Jada Beck

Jada also calls NWT's Hay River home, though she's currently pursuing a degree in medicine at Queen's University in Ontario. Jada is a member of the Denesuline Métis.

Jada completed her BSc in kinesiology at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, where she was deeply involved with women's athletics. She also enjoys "beading with family members to express [her] creativity in a cultural way."

After her medical training is complete, Jada aims to return to the North and serve Indigenous communities as a rural physician. Receiving this scholarship helps alleviate financial strain, and she hopes it will "encourage other young women to pursue careers in STEM."

Nice job, Jada!

Zoe Clark

Zoe's from the capital city of the Northwest Territories, Yellowknife, though she's now studying her first year of marine biology way across the country, at Dalhousie University in Halifax.

Thanks to the De Beers Group scholarship she received, Zoe's able to "devote [herself] entirely to [her] studies and fully take advantage of the opportunities" at Dalhousie.

Zoe aims to play a vital role in "environmental conservation and protection" when she returns to Canada's North after completing her degree.

Right on, Zoe!

Rosalyn French

Rosalyn also hails from Yellowknife in NWT, but she chose Bishop's University in Sherbrooke, Quebec, for her degree. She's pursuing a BSc in biology, with a concentration in biodiversity and ecology.

She's particularly interested in marine life, and "the impact of climate change in vulnerable areas like the oceans and in the north." Living in NWT has opened her eyes to climate change's impacts on ecologies and northern communities.

Rosalyn's eager to "take part in looking for solutions," and receiving this scholarship will help her do so.

Congratulations Rosalyn!

Emma Gelinas

Emma, from Iroquois Falls, Ontario, is working on her degree in health sciences at Western University. Emma's a proud Métis woman who was the Indigenous Student Senator in high school.

In her free time, Emma is a competitive dancer and teacher — she's danced competitively for 14 years! Her goal is to go from dancer to dentist: she wants a career where she can support others.

Of course, dental school is expensive. Thankfully, "receiving this scholarship will assist [her] in attaining [her] degree." With eight years of post-secondary school ahead of her, every dollar counts.

Great work, Emma!

Shelby Martin

Shelby was born and raised in Yellowknife, NWT, and she chose to stay in the north to attend Aurora College and earn her nursing degree.

Living in the north has taught Shelby "to see the beauty in nature," which she loves to capture in photos. Being in nature brings peace and joy, and she likes sharing with the world "a little piece of the place I call home."

Shelby's eager to become a nurse to help give back to her community.

Get after it, Shelby!

Crystal Mitchell

Crystal calls Taloyoak, Nunavut, home, a remote northern community accesible only by air and an annual sealift.

Crystal's currently in Iqaluit, though, attending Nunavut Arctic College to earn a diploma in environmental technology, and she aims to ladder up into a degree in environmental science after graduation.

Her ultimate goal is to help protect the environment. "Our land is precious to my Inuit culture," she says, adding "With my education and the love I have for our land and culture, I can advocate for our land rights."

Keep it up, Crystal!

Angela Storr

Angela is "a proud Gwich'in woman from Inuvik," in the Northwest Territories, where she studies business technology management at Athabasca University.

Angela is open and eager to learn "where [her] career and academic achievements will lead." She's thankful for receiving a De Beers scholarship, which helps show the women in her community that "our hard work does not go unnoticed."

She's determined to set a good example for her daughter, too. As Angela says, "I am a strong woman because I was raised by strong women; therefore I will raise strong women."

Nicely done, Angela!

Stella Wong

Stella is also from Yellowknife, NWT, where she's lived for about a dozen years. At present, she's studying in the University of British Columbia's esteemed engineering program, where she plans to specialize in mechanical engineering.

In the engineering field, the "lack of women may be discouraging," she says, but "by winning this scholarship, [she] hopes to inspire more young women to pursue their passions."

Stella hopes to return to Yellowknife after graduation, to encourage women and girls to pursue engineering.

Good on you, Stella!

Huge congratulations to all ten De Beers Group Scholarships for Canadian Women recipients this year! Each of these women will receive $4,500 CAD to support their studies in STEM fields. We have no doubt that each and every one of our recipients is on track to a bright future.

Thanks to all our applicants — we couldn't do it without you. And once again, congrats to our ten recipients.