Undergraduate Scholarship for Students Entering Their First Year of Study

Laura Bonga

Laura Bonga of Saint John, New Brunswick, has a deep admiration for the environment, stemming from generations of family commitment to understanding and preserving the natural world.  Laura’s appreciation for the environment goes beyond the classroom, having completed numerous hikes, including the 100 Mile Wilderness section of the Appalachian Trail in Maine and the 41 kilometre Fundy Footpath in New Brunswick.  Her desire to protect our natural environment and create a more sustainable future has led Laura to Acadia’s Environmental Science program, where she hopes to contribute to the preservation of the environment through research activities.  Graduating from Saint John High School in June 2016, Laura is a multi-sport athlete, having competed both provincially and nationally in track and field. She is a talented artist as well.  In her free time, Laura enjoys skiing, sailing and playing the piano.

Laura Clerk

Fall River, Nova Scotia’s Laura Clerk will enter Acadia’s biology program in September 2016, where she hopes to gain research experience leading to a career in medical sciences, or perhaps as a veterinarian, reflecting her love for animals. Laura will graduate from Lockview High School in June 2016, where she is currently a member of the student council and volunteer peer math tutor.  A competitive dancer, she combines her creativity with a commitment to academics that have placed her on the Principal’s List throughout high school with the highest average among all students in her Grade 11 year.  Laura is excited to continue to give back to the community during her time at Acadia.

Sydney Scholten 

Sydney Scholten, from Moncton, New Brunswick, developed a strong appreciation for nature at a young age while exploring wildlife in coastal St. Andrew’s, New Brunswick.  Her relationship with Acadia goes back a long way to when she first visited as a young girl while her father Ben Scholten was responsible for building the Harriet Irving Botanical Gardens.  She will enter Acadia’s biology program in September 2016, where she will fulfill her long-held dream of attending Acadia and completing scientific research in the K.C. Irving Environmental Science Centre. Originally from Saint John, New Brunswick, Sydney moved to Moncton to pursue an opportunity with the New Brunswick High Performance Soccer Academy and has competed at the national level.  Sydney plans to vie for a spot with the Acadia Axewomen varsity soccer team.  In addition to being a student council vice-president, Sydney is a Special Olympics volunteer coach and has been on the Principal’s Honours List each year of high school. In her senior year of high school, Sydney received the 2015-16 Student Government MVP Award to recognize her outstanding contribution to student government throughout her high school career.

Undergraduate Scholarship for Students Entering Their Third Year of Study

Kayoung Heo 

Dean’s List Scholar Kayoung Heo, of Windsor, Nova Scotia, is entering her third year of Acadia’s biology program.  Kay is actively involved in the K.C. Irving Environmental Science Centre, supporting faculty research projects as well as those of current Arthur Irving Scholars.  Kay has a strong interest in integrating environmental science and public health, and encouraging the exploration of the use of native plants in the health field.  She is highly regarded by her Acadia professors with whom she has made a significant contribution to Acadia’s seed bank program.  In addition to her commitment to her studies, Kayoung currently volunteers in Acadia’s Peer Health Group and at the Hants Community Hospital in Windsor. She also tutors chemistry and physics.  In her spare time, Kay enjoys singing and playing the piano.   

More information about the Arthur Irving Academy Scholarships in Environmental Science can be found here.

More information about the K.C. Irving Environmental Science Centre and the Harriet Irving Botanical Gardens can be found here.

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