UNBC Graduate Receives Prestigious Commonwealth Scholarship
July 17, 2001 For Immediate Release
Deborah Thien, a University of Northern British Columbia graduate from Parksville, has received a prestigious Commonwealth Scholarship to complete a PhD at the University of Edinburgh - all expenses paid.
Deborah Thien, a University of Northern British Columbia graduate from Parksville, has received a prestigious Commonwealth Scholarship to complete a PhD at the University of Edinburgh - all expenses paid.
The Scholarship will cover Deb's living expenses in Edinburgh, all
student fees, return airfare between Canada and the UK every year, books,
thesis preparation, and conference travel. The total value is just over
$100,000, making Deb's award one of the largest ever received by a UNBC
graduate.
Deb graduated from UNBC in 2000 with a master's degree in Gender
Studies. At Edinburgh, she'll be studying women's organizations
in rural areas: how they're set up, how the services they provide are
affected by their location, and whether the location of services is
an issue for women who use the services. Prior to attending UNBC, Deb
received a bachelor's degree in English and Women's Studies from UVic
(1995), after attending Ballenas High School in Parksville. Before leaving
Prince George, Deb taught 1st year English
at UNBC. She is currently teaching 1st year English at Malaspina University
College in Nanaimo. She is leaving for Scotland in mid-September.
The Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan was established in
1960 to provide students to pursue studies in Commonwealth countries
other than their own. The program is highly competitive, particularly
for the United Kingdom: in the last competition, less than 10% of all
applicants were successful.
The University of Northern British Columbia's core campus is located
in Prince George. The University opened in 1994 and currently has 3500
student enrolled in programs at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral
levels.
A photo of Deborah Thien is available upon request