Q&A with former Baffinland Scholarship Recipient, Mariah Erkloo
A post-secondary degree can serve as a passport to a better future, one that provides the skills and knowledge to build a successful career. To support Inuit students pursuing higher education, the Baffinland Scholarship Program awards five post-secondary scholarships annually, in the amount of $5,000 each, to Inuit enrolled under the Nunavut Agreement.
Q&A with Former Baffinland Scholarship Recipient, Mariah Erkloo
Q: What did you win your scholarship for?
A: I won the scholarship for General Arts and Science – Trent pathway at Durham College.
Q: What did you study and what did the scholarship mean for you?
A: At the time I received the scholarship I was at Durham College in Oshawa, Ontario. For me, the scholarship covered extra expenses while I attended school. I utilized it to pay for textbooks, partial rent, and other things that are necessary to sustain and get familiar with my environment, as I was very far from home.
Q: What are you doing now and what is your hope for the future?
A: After I finished the program I studied at Nunavut Sivuniksavut. After completing that, I took some time off school and worked for Baffinland starting in the summer of 2021. I have worked as a shipping monitor, and I stayed on during the off-season to work on shipping-related reporting. I am planning to return to school in the fall of 2022. I will be studying for my sociology degree at the University of British Columbia.
Q: What message would you give to younger Nunavummiut who may hope to follow in your footsteps?
A: Pursue further education, create your future the way you want. There are so many opportunities and support available for students! Living far away from home reaching out to different supports helped me a lot. Anything from tutoring, benefitting from financial help, or meeting like-minded people! Just know you are supported in your education journey wherever you go.
ᐊᐱᖅᖁᑏᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑭᐅᔭᖏᑦ ᒧᕋᐃᔭ ᐃᖅᓘᑉ ᐹᕕᓐᓚᓐᑯᓐᓂᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᑐᓂᔭᐅᔾᔪᑎᓂᒃ ᐱᓯᒪᔪᖅ, ᒧᕋᐃᔭ ᐃᖅᓗ
ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᒡᔪᐊᕐᒥᑦ ᐃᓕᑕᕆᔭᐅᔾᔪᑎ ᐱᑦᑕᐅᓂᖅᓴᒥᒃ ᓯᕗᓂᒃᓴᖃᖅᑎᑦᑎᔪᖕᓇᖅᑐᖅ, ᐊᔪᙱᓂᖃᖅᑎᑦᑎᔪᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓂᖃᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᕈᖕᓇᑦᑎᐊᕐᓂᐊᕐᓗᓂ. ᐃᑲᔪᕐᓂᐊᕐᓗᒋᑦ ᐃᓅᔪᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑏᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᒃᑲᓐᓂᕈᒪᔪᑦ, ᐹᕕᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ ᐃᓕᓴᖅᑎᓄᑦ ᑐᕌᖓᔪᓂᒃ ᑐᓂᓯᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᑦ ᑕᓪᓕᒪᓂᒃ ᖁᑦᑎᖕᓂᖅᓴᒧᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᓂᒃ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᑕᒫᒃᑯᑦ, ᐊᑐᓂ $5,000-ᓂᒃ ᑎᑭᖦᖢᒍ, ᐃᓅᔪᓄᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᒪᓕᒃᖢᒍ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐊᖏᖃᑎᒌᒍᑎ. ᐹᕕᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ ᑐᒃᓯᕋᐅᖅᑕᐅᔪᓂᒃ ᐱᖃᑦᑕᓕᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ 2022 ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᓄᑦ ᑐᓂᔭᐅᔪᓂᒃ ᐱᒋᐊᕐᓗᓂ ᒪᓐᓃᑦ (ᔫᓂ) 30, 2022. ᓇᓗᓇᐃᔭᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐆᒃᑐᖃᑕᐅᔪᖕᓇᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᓴᖅᕿᑎᑕᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᐅᑉᓗᖅ ᖃᒡᓕᓕᖅᐸᑦ. ᒫᓐᓇᐅᔪᖅ, ᓴᖅᕿᑦᑎᓂᐊᖅᑐᒍᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖃᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᖃᑉᓯᐊᕐᔪᐃᑦ ᒫᓐᓇᓵᖑᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐹᕕᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᓄᑦ ᑐᓂᔭᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᓂᒃ. ᐅᑉᓗᒥ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᒋᔭᕗᑦ ᓇᐃᑦᑐᖅ ᐊᐱᖅᖁᑏᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑭᐅᔭᖏᑦ ᒧᕋᐃᔭ ᐃᖅᓘᑉ.
ᐊᐱᖅᖁᑏᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑭᐅᔭᖏᑦ ᒧᕋᐃᔭ ᐃᖅᓘᑉ ᐹᕕᓐᓚᓐᑯᓐᓂᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᑐᓂᔭᐅᔾᔪᑎᓂᒃ ᐱᓯᒪᔪᖅ, ᒧᕋᐃᔭ ᐃᖅᓗ
ᐊᐱᖅᖁᑎ: ᓵᓚᒃᓴᕈᓯᐊᕆᓚᐅᖅᑕᐃᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᑐᓂᔭᐅᔾᔪᑏᑦ ᓱᓇᒨᓚᐅᖅᐸ?
ᑭᐅᔭᖓ: ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᑐᓂᔭᐅᔾᔪᑎ ᓵᓚᒃᓴᕈᓯᐊᕆᓚᐅᖅᑕᕋᖅ ᓴᓇᙳᐊᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖃᐅᔨᓇᓱᒃᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ - ᑐᕆᐊᓐᑦ (Trent) ᐊᑉᖁᑎ ᑑᕋᒻ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᖕᒧᑦ.
ᐊᐱᖅᖁᑎ: ᓱᓇᒥᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᓚᐅᖅᐱᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖃᓄᖅ ᑐᑭᖃᓚᐅᖅᐸᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᑐᓂᔭᐅᔾᔪᑎᑖᕆᔭᐃᑦ?
ᑭᐅᔭᖓ: ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᑐᓂᔭᐅᔾᔪᑎᑖᒪ ᑑᕋᒻ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᖕᒦᓚᐅᖅᑐᖓ ᐋᓱᕚ, ᐋᓐᑎᐅᕆᔪᒥᑦ.ᐅᕙᒻᓄᑦ, ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᑐᓂᔭᐅᔾᔪᑎᑖᕆᔭᕋ ᐊᑐᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓂᒃ ᐊᑐᒃᑲᓐᓂᕈᑎᒋᔭᒻᓄᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ.ᐊᑐᓚᐅᖅᑕᕋ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕈᑎᓄᑦ ᐅᖃᓕᒫᒐᓄᑦ, ᐃᓚᖓᓄᑦ ᐊᑐᖅᑐᐊᖅᑕᒻᓄᑦ, ᐊᓯᖏᓐᓄᓪᓗ ᐱᔭᕆᐊᖃᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓕᕐᓂᐊᕐᓗᒍ ᐊᕙᑎᒐ, ᐊᖏᕐᕋᒻᓂᑦ ᐅᖓᓯᒃᑐᒻᒪᕆᐅᓚᐅᕋᒪ.
ᐊᐱᖅᖁᑎ: ᒫᓐᓇ ᓱᓕᕆᓕᖅᐱᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓱᓕᕆᔪᒪᕕᑦ ᓯᕗᓂᒃᓴᒥᑦ?
ᑭᐅᔭᖓ: ᐱᐊᓂᒃᑲᑉᑯ ᑐᕌᖓᔪᖅ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᓚᐅᖅᑐᖓ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᓯᕗᓂᒃᓴᕗᒃᑯᓐᓂᑦ.ᐱᐊᓂᒃᑲᒪ ᑕᐃᑲᓂ, ᓄᖅᖃᖓᓚᐅᐱᓪᓚᓚᐅᖅᑐᖓ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᖅᖃᓇᐃᔭᖅᖢᖓ ᐹᕕᓐᓛᓐᑯᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᐅᔭᖅ 2021-ᒥᑦ.ᐃᖅᖃᓇᐃᔮᕆᓚᐅᖅᑕᖃ ᐅᒥᐊᕐᔪᐊᓂᒃ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᐃᓂᕐᒧᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᐅᔭᖅ ᐱᐊᓂᒃᑲᓗᐊᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐅᒥᐊᕐᔪᐊᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐅᓂᑉᑳᓕᐅᕆᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐃᖅᖃᓇᐃᔭᕐᓂᕋ ᑲᔪᓯᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ.ᐅᑎᕈᒪᔪᖓ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᒃᑲᓐᓂᕐᓗᖓ ᐅᑭᐊᒃᓵᖅ 2022-ᒥᑦ.ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᖓ ᐃᓄᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᓕᑕᕆᔭᐅᔾᔪᑎᑖᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᒡᔪᐊᖅ ᐳᕆᑎᔅ ᑲᓚᒻᐱᔭᒥᑦ.
ᐊᐱᖅᖁᑎ: ᓱᓇᒥᒃ ᑐᓴᖅᑎᑦᑎᔪᒪᕕᑦ ᒪᒃᑯᖕᓂᖅᓴᓂᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᐅᓄᑦ ᐃᓕᖕᓂᒃ ᒪᓕᒍᒪᑐᐃᓐᓇᕆᐊᖃᖅᑐᓂᒃ?
ᑭᐅᔭᖓ: ᖁᑦᑎᖕᓂᖅᓴᒥᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᕐᓗᑎᒃ, ᓴᖅᕿᑦᑎᓗᑎᒃ ᓯᕗᓂᒃᓴᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᔪᒪᔭᖏᓐᓂᑦ. ᐊᒥᓱᓂᒃ ᐱᕕᒃᓴᖅᑕᖃᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᑲᔪᐃᓂᕐᓂᒃ ᒪᓂᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᓄᑦ! ᐊᖏᕐᕋᕆᔭᒥᑦ ᐅᖓᓯᒃᖢᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᔾᔨᒌᙱᑦᑐᓂᒃ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑕᐅᓂᕋ ᐅᕙᒻᓂᒃ ᐃᑲᔪᑦᑎᐊᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ. ᓱᓇᑐᐃᓐᓇᓄᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᒥᒃ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑐᓂᑦ, ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑕᐅᓂᕋ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᑎᒍᑦ, ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᑲᑎᓯᑉᓗᓂ ᐃᓱᒪᒋᔭᖃᖃᑎᒋᔭᕐᒥᑦ ᐃᓄᖕᓂᑦ! ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓗᑎᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑕᐅᒐᕕᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᓂᕆᔭᖕᓂᑦ ᓇᒧᙵᐅᓯᒪᒐᓗᐊᕈᕕᑦ.