Building a Better Future Bursary

The Building a Better Future initiative provides financial support to eligible Syilx Okanagan Nation members. This scholarship, bursary and award initiative recognizes student perseverance and achievement to encourage our members to continue their educational pursuits. These scholarships, bursaries and awards are for high school students graduating this Spring of 2025and/or students starting or continuing a post-secondary program in the fall of 2025. Students are welcome to apply for multiple awards – please read eligibility requirements of each available award. Keep posted we will be accepting applications in the spring of 2025.

Congratulations to the 2024 Building a Better Future Bursary Program Recipients. 

The 2024 recipients for the Syilx Highschool Siya Bursaries are:

  • Ayla Goss
  • Darian Eustache-Peone
  • Gracianah Gallicano

APPLICATIONS Closed until Spring 2025

Available Bursaries for High School Graduates of 2023/24

  • Syilx Siya Awards – $1000 (2 available sponsored by EMB)
  • Syilx Siya Awards – $1000 (1 available sponsored by FortisBC)

NOTE** If you are a high school graduate, currently enrolled in post-secondary, please visit the post-secondary bursaries page and submit an application for applicable bursaries… Students are welcome to apply for multiple awards.

Available Bursaries for Post Secondary Students

  • $1500 Education for Life Award (2 available) sponsored by FortisBC
  • $3500 Engineering Scholarship sponsored by EMB Management Ltd.
  • $1500 Surveying, Mapping, or Geomatics Bursary sponsored by EMB
  • $1500 Business Bursary sponsored by EMB
  • $1500 Walking My Learning Forward Award sponsored by EMB
  • $1500 Progressive Fence Syilx Bursary

Partnerships

Fortis BC

While building the Terasen Gas Southern Crossing Pipeline, Terasen Gas (now FortisBC) forged strong relationships with the member communities of the Okanagan Nation Alliance. In recognition, Fortis BC has established a Financial Award for Okanagan Nation Alliance members who are committed to building a better future for themselves and their community through post-secondary educational studies. This bursary has been available since 2009.

EMB Management Ltd.

Formed in 2014, EMB Management Ltd. (“EMB”) offers project development, project delivery, engineering, construction management and construction inspection services to utility and infrastructure clients across Western Canada. To help support Syilx Okanagan Nation members in furthering their education, EMB introduced $10,000 in awards in 2022 as a component of our Building a Better Future Initiative.

Who is Eligible to Apply?

GENERAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

  • You must be attached by ancestry, identity and community to the Syilx Okanagan Nation.
  • Registered or applied to attend an accredited post-secondary institution on a full-time basis between: September 2023 – April 2024 (unless otherwise noted in the specific award listing)

OR

  • You must be graduating high school in the 2023-2024 academic year.

Each scholarship, bursary and award have its own set of additional criteria and deadlines. Please make sure to read each award for the full set of eligibility requirements.  If you are a high school student who has been accepted to a post-secondary institution in a program equal to or greater than 2 years, you are also eligible to apply for the post-secondary institution bursaries.  However, post-secondary students are NOT allowed to apply for high school awards.

Important Dates

  • Application deadline: Applications to open in Spring 2025
  • Award Announcement: 
  • Payments: 

Questions may be directed to:

Tara Montgomery
Phone: (250) 707-0095 ext 120
Email: tmontgomery@syilx.org

 

Thank you to our Partners:

    

       Progressive Fence LTD.

2024 Building a Better Future Bursary Recipients:

2024 Bursary Announcement (1)