Awards & Funding
Partial funding for tuition, books, and housing may be available to African Nova Scotian (Indigenous Black) and Mi'kmaw students, on the basis of need. It is expected that you will explore all options for financing your education, including student loans,聽聽and possible Band funding, prior to the beginning of your first year.
Students who are eligible make a funding application to the聽Indigenous Black and Mi'kmaq 聽Standing Committee. The Committee assesses each application and awards funding based on financial need. The Standing Committee is made up of four members of the law faculty, including the Director of the Initiative, representatives from the Indigenous Black and Mi'kmaq Advisory Council and two student representatives from the Initiative.
Indigenous Black and Mi'kmaq students may also apply for聽the financial support聽available to all law students.
The Judge Corrine E. Sparks Award in Law for Excellence and Service
The Honourable Judge Corrine E. Sparks (Retired),聽(LLB 鈥�79, LLM 鈥�01), was appointed to the Nova Scotia Family Court in 1987, becoming the first African Nova Scotian to be appointed to the Bench, and the first African Canadian聽female to serve on the judiciary in Canada. Throughout her career,聽Judge Sparks actively fostered and facilitated judicial education and developed educational programs in the area of social context judicial education.聽She was inducted into the Bertha Wilson Honour Society in 2015 and was the recipient of the 2020 Weldon Award for Unselfish Public Service from the 17吃瓜网在线 Law Alumni Association.
The Judge Corrine E. Sparks Award in Law for Excellence and Service was established by 聽in honour of Sparks' outstanding contributions to the legal community to celebrate those students who are committed to using their legal education as a tool for change in their community.
The award is presented once a year to the student whose personal and academic endeavours most accurately reflect Sparks' spirit of leadership and community service. The award winner shares the award with a community group of his or her choosing.