Scholarship Information
Captain Nichola K.S. Goddard Scholarship | |
|---|---|
| Maximum Amount: | $2,700.00 |
| Application Form: | Application Form |
| Deadline: | 1-Oct |
| Description: | Awarded to a student in any faculty who will engage in an experience living and working with indigenous peoples whether in Canada or internationally. The experience must be for academic credit at UPEI. Examples might include a research-based thesis or dissertation at the masters or doctoral level, or an internship or practicum at the baccalaureate level. |
| Background: | Born to British and Canadian school teachers in Madang, Papua New Guinea, Nichola Goddard spent most of her childhood in various Canadian locations, including Black Lake and Lac La Ronge, Saskatchewan, and Pangnirtung, Nunavut. She attended Jr. High in Edmonton, Alberta, and High school in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. Captain Goddard arrived in Afghanistan in January 2006, and had been appointed to the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry as a forward observation officer at the time of her death; her parent unit was the 1st Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery. Nichola was killed on May 17, 2006, during a firefight in the Panjwaye District. It was part of a joint two-day operation between Canadian and Afghan troops, to secure Kandahar's outskirts after a rumor of Taliban preparations to launch an assault on the city. As troops were moving into a compound to capture 15 alleged Taliban members, several dozen hidden militants began firing from neighbouring houses. In the end, the two-day operation saw Nichola, an Afghan National Army soldier, and 40 Taliban killed, a s well as approximately 20 Taliban captured. She was posthumously awarded the Meritorious Service Medal on Oct 27, 2006. In fond memory of Nichola's love of life and learning, family and friends established significant memorials including "The Nichola Goddard Light Up Papua New Guinea" project to improve the quality and functionality of health care facilities in rural PNG by installing solar powered LED lighting systems so that health facilities can be used in the evening; the "Captain Nichola K.S. Goddard Memorial Graduate Scholarship" at the University of Calgary; and the "Captain Nichola K.S. Goddard Scholarship" at UPEI. Among other tributes a Canadian Coastguard "Hero" class vessel is being named in her memory, and the Calgary Board of Education has also honoured Nichola through the naming of a new middle school in Calgary. This gift agreement was revised in August 2016 to reflect changes in criteria and funding. |
