Posted on behalf of Nicolette Richardson

I am excited to be working with the Beyond Tomorrow Scholars Program team. The Beyond Tomorrow Scholars Award is the newest addition to our major entrance scholarships. This award – which also features wrap-around supports and programming for scholars – targets students who self-identify as Black and are transitioning to UBC from a secondary or post-secondary institution to complete an undergraduate degree in any UBC faculty.

Similar to the Centennial Scholars Entrance Award, this is a needs-based award. While students need to be academically ready (and meet UBC’s admission requirements), the purpose of the award is to provide renewable funding of up to $80,000 over a 4-year period to students who are academically qualified but would not be able to attend without financial assistance.

The Beyond Tomorrow Scholars Program has four goals:

      1. Create a positive cohort-based scholar experience that is supported through an integral network of cross-campus support.
      2. Foster a sense of belonging, joy, and meaningful connections amongst Scholars and the overarching Black student community at UBC.
      3. Empower Scholars to be co-creators of their academic and leadership experience at UBC through formal opportunities while leaving room for self-directed goals.
      4. Celebrate Scholars’ successes as active participants in community-engagement learning and action during and after university.

While the program offerings and further wrap-around supports are designed to ensure the success of the Beyond Tomorrow Scholars at UBC, select offerings will also be open to the wider UBC community. Building community amongst all Black students at the Vancouver and Okanagan campuses is an important goal of the program and part of my role will be to create excitement for prospective Black students to see themselves at UBC and the success they can achieve here and beyond their university career.