Saskatoon student to pursue medicine after winning RBC Indigenous scholarship

A Saskatoon student has been awarded a scholarship that will help her complete her medical degree.

Haylee Gardiner is one of 20 recipients in Canada to get $10,000 per year for up to four years. The award is reserved for Indigenous students who demonstrate strong academic performance and community involvement, the RBC website said.

Gardiner said she will be heading to Victoria to complete a biology degree.

“I want to pursue medicine. And so if I get to become a doctor, I would love to go into Indigenous communities and really help.”

She said she was excited when she heard the news.

‘I cried. I'm just so grateful. The scholarship helps me out in more ways than one like, not only does it pay for my school, but it is such a confidence booster.”

She said the experience highlighted how important her Métis culture is to her.

“I really had to think about what kind of like analogies I wanted. So I used my dream catchers as one. Just how to make the dream catcher with all the weaving and the work into it, and where to put the beads and just how intricate all of it is.”

Gardiner said she was not always as connected to her culture as she is today.

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“I had the food and the language, but I never knew how to speak the language. As I actually graduated from the Raven program, that's when I was presented the Métis sash from the BC Nation. And I really just connected and I got into it.”

She said since that experience, she connected with the Gabriel Dumont Institute and became a Métis nation member of Saskatchewan.

“I think just making dream catchers really made that push because I love doing it. I love the crafts, and I got connected with the culture and people.”

She said that her experience can inspire other Indigenous students to succeed.

“Moving past the barriers and having all your support networks around you and just persevering through all the hard work and dedication and just pursuing your passions.”