Moose Cree band member wins RBC Aboriginal Student Award

Wednesday October 28, 2009

Greg Campbell of Moose Cree First Nation was one of 10 recipients of the 2009 Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) Aboriginal Student Scholarship Awards.

The 28-year old father of two young children, aged 3 years and 9 months, is in his second year of the business accounting program at Northern College in Timmins, Ont.

Interested in accounting since high school, Campbell said he plans to attend university in Sudbury to get his certified general accountant credentials.

�I found accounting pretty easy and they get paid pretty good money,� he said.

Providing a comfortable life for his children motivated Campbell to attend college.

�I have two kids, so I decided to go back to school to get a good career.�

In a message to young people, Campbell said: �It takes a lot of motivation. These days if you want to be successful, you need education to live comfortably. The more knowledge you have, the more power you have.�

Campbell feels the scholarship helps students financially. The $4,000 award is given to students pursuing a post secondary education to help with the cost of tuition, textbooks, supplies and living expenses during the academic year.

�I definitely think they (RBC) are doing a very good thing. It really helps out,� Campbell said. �There are lots of people out there that are smart and want to go to school, but they can�t afford to, so the companies offering these awards are really helpful.�

This year the RBC awarded 10 students with scholarships, up from eight handed out last year. RBC also donated $90,000 to programs serving Aboriginal youth through the RBC After-School Grants Project.

�We understand the crucial role a good education plays in helping Aboriginal youth achieve success in life,� said Kirk Dudtschak, senior vice-president of Strategy and Human Resources at RBC. �Our commitment to Aboriginal youth and to Aboriginal communities is to offer our support at every stage of a child�s education.�

Besides Greg Campbell the other nine winners are:

Alyssa Whiteduck, Pikwakanagan First Nation, ON

Amanda Carling, Metis, Winnipeg, MB

Chelsey Shortman, Mikisew Cree First Nation, SK

Cinthia Jean, Metis, St-Leolin, NB

Judy Klassen, St. Theresa Point First Nation, MB

Kevin Hall, Lake Babin Band, Vanderhoof, BC

Nicolas Sky Lee Johnson, Metis, Vernon, BC

Renee LeBlanc, Metis, Wedgeport, NS

Sarah Scout, Blood Band, Calgary, AB