Audrey Lawrence AC Online Bursary
Algonquin Board of Governors’ member, Audrey Lawrence, has recently established the Audrey Lawrence AC Online Bursary – one of the first of its kind in Ontario. Being of Cree and Inuit ancestry herself, Audrey is aware of the needs of both Indigenous and remote learners, and believes in the importance of access to education.
“As a young woman I received a bursary that virtually paid for my College’s tuition. I was so thankful and it was a lifesaver as I was covering all my expenses on my own dime. I always have that memory in my head,” said Lawrence. “As I went on through my teaching career, I was teaching full-time, married, had a baby to care for, all while writing essays late at night to complete my degree by correspondence courses, the early version of distance learning. I am very empathetic to the needs of distance learners.”
The Audrey Lawrence AC Online Bursary will represent five distinct bursaries, with one directed to an Indigenous student. In setting out the criteria for this bursary, Audrey wished to support our AC Online campus, understanding its great potential to reach learners. This includes many Indigenous students who reside in more remote parts of the province and the country who wish to remain in their community.
While distance education has long been a hallmark of Algonquin College, since the launch of its dedicated online campus a year ago, there has been a 26 per cent increase in online enrollments. This surge in growth includes over 13,000 unique students and 56,000 online course enrollments, both all-time highs for Algonquin College.
AC Online offers one of the largest selections of online programming amongst post-secondary institutions in Canada. Learners can choose to take a full course load or enroll a few courses at a time, they can opt for multiple start dates including some programs that have monthly intakes, and they benefit from personalized support from staff throughout their learning journey at the College.
Join Audrey in supporting AC Online students:
To view a video recording of the Audrey Lawrence recognition event, click below: