Social Sciences establishes bursary for Black students

An anonymous donor is matching community donations that go toward helping more Black students achieve their goals.

November 30, 2021

L.R. Wilson building on McMaster University campus.
The new Social Sciences bursary for Black students is part of the university’s ongoing commitment to inclusive excellence.

The Faculty of Social Sciences is establishing a general bursary for Black undergraduate students. Community members are invited to donate to it to help Black students pursue their goals, and thanks to an anonymous donor’s generosity, their contributions will go twice as far.

The bursary is part of the university’s ongoing commitment to inclusive excellence.

“We know that disadvantages are not equally distributed. Commitments to Black students, their scholarship and excellence must be met with more than words,” says Ameil Joseph, Professor in Equity, Identity and Transformation.

“This bursary is an important step to address the well-known, pervasive, and persistent barriers that have and continue to advance inequities.”

In honour of the announcement, an anonymous donor will match community donations up to a limit of $25,000.

“The Faculty of Social Sciences is committed to the development of equity, diversity, inclusion and Indigenous strategies. I’m pleased this donor has taken our commitment to another level,” says Social Sciences Dean Jeremiah Hurley. “We sincerely thank them for supporting our Black student community.”

The Social Sciences Black Student Bursary will be open for applications for the 2022-23 academic year.

To qualify, applicants must self-identify as Black on AwardSpring and demonstrate financial need but will not have to satisfy any specific academic requirements.

Click here to learn more about donating to the Social Sciences Black Student Bursary.

For more information, contact Katie Ribout, Senior Development Officer, at riboutk@mcmaster.ca or at 905-525-9140 x 28921.

A row of women are at various stages of lifting weights; the woman in focus is lifting them above her head and another woman stands behind her, guiding her on her form.

StrongHER helps women in midlife build strength training skills

The StrongHER program was created to meet the need for a demographic that can benefit hugely from strength training but might also face barriers to entry when it comes to starting and maintaining a workout routine.
Two images side by side. At the left is Shreya just smiling. At the right, she is playing the violin.

Shreya Jha: Pediatric resident by day, playwright by night

Jha's latest production, premiering at the Hamilton Fringe Festival, reflects her twin passions — caring for children and telling their stories — and how the two work in tandem.
A person in a chef's white clothing poses for a picture in a commercial kitchen.

Sophie Dimitriw has a taste for culinary excellence

Only a few years into her career, Dimitriw has already made a name for herself in culinary competitions. But for her, the real win is learning, adapting and embracing opportunities to be creative.