March.17.2017

Have You Ever Been Desperate?

When I was in my last year of post-secondary school, I was living a lie. On the surface, I was the picture of academic success, but in reality, I was a financial wreck. I had just one term to go but I was out of money. Worse, I had credit cards to pay, and no means to pay them. Each time a bill arrived in the mail, I felt sick. With no other means of support, I lasted those few remaining months by living on cash advances and paying one credit card with the other credit card. I was desperate to finish school, and my desperation had serious financial consequences: the debt I racked up in that last term took two hard years of scraping to pay off. Now, I have no doubt that my education has opened doors to success that were previously closed to me, but I also know how close I came to failure.

Today, there are many women in Saskatoon who are going through similar financial hardship while they attend post-secondary schooling.

We at BPW Saskatoon believe in developing the leadership potential of women through education, awareness, advocacy and mentoring within a supportive network of like-minded women. Our annual event, Accessory to a Change, is our sparkly soiree to raise funds for our annual bursary program, which recognizes women going to school full time who are in financial need. See more information about joining us at this great event on April 6, 2017 here.

We are now seeking Saskatoon and area bursary applicants for the 2016/2017 academic year:

  • Bursaries in the amount of $2000 are available
  • Eligible applicants will be attending school full time
  • Bursaries will be judged based on financial need
  • Two categories of bursaries are available: mature women 30+, and Aboriginal women 18+
  • The deadline for applications is March 31, 2017

If you or someone you know could use a helping hand, please see here for more information and the application forms. Help us spread the word: please forward this information if you know of organizations that work with potential bursary applicants. If you have questions, please contact us by email at bursaries@bpwsaskatoon.com.

Thank you.