Cliff Bennett Nature Bursary
The Cliff Bennett Nature Bursary is offered annually to assist graduating high school students who will pursue post-secondary studies in a field related to the nat-ural environment. One or more bursaries of $1000 will be awarded each year to students from our area.
Information on the bursary awards program is usually updated in the Fall, so students are aware and can consider the awards as they begin to complete applications for post-graduate study after high school. Application deadline is May 1. Recipients are announced at MVFN’s Annual General Meeting in late May.
The Bursary is named for Cliff Bennett, a founding member of the MVFN. It was established in 2007 by Cliff’s many friends on his 75th birthday, to honour, with a legacy, his life-long contribution to nature education. To date $16,700 has been awarded to 21 students graduating from high schools in our area who have gone on to studies at colleges and universities across the country.
To be eligible, a student must be graduating from a high school in Lanark County or West Carleton (or must confirm individual or family MVFN membership) and be accepted into a college or university program related to nature and the environment. As well as academic achievement, the Committee will consider an applicant’s involvement in issues related to the natural environment. Previous recipients have demonstrated and actively promoted environmental awareness through school projects and volunteering in their communities.
Past winners of the Cliff Bennett Nature Bursary Award have pursued post-secondary studies in ecosystem and resource management, environmental sciences and engineering, marine biology and zoology. Others have followed their passion in environmental stewardship by studying fish and wildlife management or bio-technology.
Application forms are available from student service offices at area high schools, or here at mvfn.ca.
2019 Application Form
For further information, students may contact Michael Macpherson, Chair of the Cliff Bennett Nature Bursary Awards Committee at naturebursary@gmail.com
