of the Diamonds Do Good Scholarship Program.
For Immediate Release
October 19, 2022
Northwest Territories, Canada; New York, NY —The Mine Training Society and Diamonds Do Good are pleased to announce that five students from Canada’s Northwest Territories have been chosen to receive scholarships from Diamonds Do Good. The program is the result of a partnership that started in 2018 between the two organizations. Canada is the third largest producer of natural diamonds in the world.
The scholarships were established by the international Diamonds Do Good organization to support youth living in the region of the NWT diamond mines, to pursue either trades training or post-secondary education in business, management, STEM, health care, or mental health fields. Nancy Orem Lyman, executive director of Diamonds Do Good, says, “We are supported by the natural diamond industry to give back to the very areas where natural diamonds are found. We are thrilled to have identified young scholarship recipients who exemplify our mission.”
The Mine Training Society led the selection of candidates with Diamonds Do Good participating in the final choice. The following five youth were selected to be the 2022 recipients of the Diamonds Do Good Scholarships, each worth $5,000:
Jacob Bailey
Yellowknife, NT
Program: Bachelor’s Degree in the Schulich School of Engineering, Bachelor of Science, University of Calgary
Bailey is an Indigenous student recently graduated from high school in Yellowknife. He is passionate about civil engineering and is excited about learning the inner workings of large-scale projects such as building bridges, designing roadways, constructing complicated pipe networks and water dams. He plans to return to the Northwest Territories after completing his studies.
Leah Bodnar-McLeod
Inuvik, NT
Program: Faculty of Social Work; Post-Diploma Social Work Program, University of Calgary
Bodnar-McLeod is a First Nation student from Inuvik, NT entering her third year of social work at the University of Calgary. She has overcome personal challenges that have driven her to grow and develop an understanding of intergenerational trauma affecting social aspects of the north’s population. Her knowledge and educational background will enable her to bring awareness to reduce the impact of addiction in the north.
Sarah Chapman
Yellowknife, NT
Program: Faculty of Arts and Science; Bachelor of Science (Hons) – Major in Biology, Queens’ University
Chapman is an Indigenous student with a passion for biology. “Biology is the backbone of many facets of Indigenous culture. From nutrition, to medicine, to land conservation, it is crucial that Indigenous students are at the forefront of this field of study, as our ancestors have been practicing it for centuries,” says Chapman.
Sahara Lafferty
Behchoko, NT
Program: Bachelor of Education (Elementary), Thompson Rivers University
Lafferty is actively involved in her community of Behchoko, NT. She has a strong identity in her Tłı̨chǫ background and participates regularly in cultural activities. After receiving her degree, she will return home to the Northwest Territories and teach at an elementary school in a remote community.