Originally published in QEII Times.
Pictured: Elizabeth Obeng Nkrumah, past bursary recipient and Nurse Practitioner candidate, shares her experiences with students, donors and other guests at this year’s QEII Foundation Diversity in Health Care Bursary celebration.
QEII Foundation Diversity in Health Care Bursaries awarded to 80 post-secondary students
Last fall, healthcare students, donors and other guests gathered to celebrate the recipients of the 2025 QEII Foundation Diversity in Health Care Bursaries.
This annual bursary program provides financial support to post-secondary students from underserved and underrepresented communities who are studying in a variety of healthcare programs at all levels of education — community college and technical training schools, undergraduate programs, graduate school and PhD programs.
“As Nova Scotia’s population becomes increasingly diverse, equitable health care is a must for communities across the province,” says Susan Mullin, president and CEO at the QEII Foundation.
“It’s important to have caring healthcare teams that understand different cultures and languages to provide the best patient care for Nova Scotians.”
The bursaries, valued at $2,000 each, are an investment in stronger, more diverse healthcare teams. An investment that reaches far beyond the students, impacting the thousands of patients they will care for throughout their careers.
To help support the needs of the healthcare system, students across the province are stepping up. But as the cost of living continues to rise, so does the need for financial aid for students.
“Each year the demand for these bursaries is greater than our available funding,” says Susan. “We welcome continued support from the community — individuals, businesses and organizations — to help us sustain this program in the long-term, for the students and our healthcare system.”
Dedicated to supporting a healthcare system that is reflective of all Nova Scotian communities, the QEII Foundation has provided $649,000 — a total of 429 bursaries — since 2018.
This year, bursaries were awarded to 80 students, chosen from an unprecedented 232 eligible applications. With applications reviewed by a selection committee of volunteers, including representatives from the Community Health Boards in Nova Scotia Health’s Central Zone, a past bursary recipient, and other volunteers, the process has strong community ties.
Rooted in that community connection is a unique aspect of the QEII Foundation’s bursary program — the celebration event where the students receive their awards. Held each year to recognize the students’ achievements and commitment to a future in health care in our province, this event brings the students together with their peers to share their experiences and passion for health care. They also enjoy meeting donors, with many students acknowledging that it’s the donor support that encourages and inspires them, knowing there are people who believe in them.
To learn more about the QEII Foundation Diversity in Health Care Bursary program, and see a full list of this year’s recipients, visit QE2Foundation.ca/Diversity.
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