news&views Winter 2018 | Page 23

Anya Siddons, Calgary $5000 ARTA–TW Insurance Degree Scholarship I am so honoured and grateful to have been chosen as a recipient of the ARTA–TW Insurance Degree Scholarship. This award will support me in pursuing a Master of Nursing following the Bachelor of Nursing I am currently undertaking. I plan to use these degrees to research ways in which Alberta’s health care system can be made more accessible to those living with chronic mental illness. I hope to one day implement changes that will help our health care system better support these individuals and their families. I would like to thank ARTA for its support in this endeavour and my mother Lisa Siddons, whose passion for teaching has set such a powerful example for me as to how life-enriching a career can be. Jesse Webb, Edmonton $3000 ARTA–TW Insurance Degree Scholarship Attending school full time and being successful at it is tough even under the best circumstances. Attending as a mature student with a family and outside commitments has been one of the most challenging endeavours of my life. It has been worth every minute, however, to pursue what started as a goal, but has since become a passion. I began my school journey with a vague goal to enter the health care fi eld, to better the lives of others, and to improve the situation of my family. Through my coursework in the Bachelor of Science program, I’ve found a passion for scientifi c research, which I intend to follow by pursuing an eventual career as a medical researcher. The requirements to enter this fi eld, however, are high, both in time, and in academic standards. Pursuit of this career, for me, would not be possible without the support of others, which is why I’m so grateful to the Alberta Retired Teachers’ Association for the granting of this scholarship. This money means the world to my family and me, as it allows me to devote more of my time to academics and alleviates many of the stresses that accompany the fi nancial realities of being a full-time student. To all those who support me, including my family, my friends, and ARTA, thank you. Together, we will achieve this dream. news&views WINTER 2018 | 23